Deceased individual was receiving treatment at Civil Hospital Trauma Center in Quetta
\nQUETTA
\nThe death toll from the Mastung suicide blast rose to 60 on Sunday. Four victims are still said to be in a critical condition. It was reported that 18 victims are still admitted to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) and three others are getting treatment at Civil Hospital.
\nThe Quetta\u2019s Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) registered a first information report (FIR) of the case. A powerful suicide blast had rocked Balochistan\u2019s Mastung district on Friday. The dead and the injured were initially shifted to the DHQ Hospital and other infirmaries.
\nThe incident took place at a bazaar near Madina Masjid on Al Falah Road. Rescue 1122 ambulances, police and Bomb Disposal Squad officials reached the crime scene. A state of emergency has been declared in all hospitals. Security forces cordoned off the area soon after the incident.
\nDSP Nawaz Gashkori was among the dead. According to a spokesman of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Balochistan, a suicide bomber blew himself in a gathering of people.
\nIndia\u2019s foreign intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), is behind the recent terrorist attacks in Balochistan, Federal Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti alleged on Saturday, a day after a grisly suicide bombing targeting a 12th Rabiul Awwal procession in Mastung district claimed lives of 59 people.
\nInteracting with media here, Bugti accused Indian\u2019s RAW of orchestrating Friday\u2019s suicide bombing through its facilitators based in Balochistan province. \u201cAll major incidents that occurred in Balochistan before this one\u2026they were all unearthed \u2013 India\u2019s RAW was behind all these, and the forces who want to destabilise Pakistan,\u201d said the minister.
\nBugti did not provide any evidence to support his claims, but added that investigations were in progress and that violence, regardless of the group claiming responsibility, would be met with a befitting response from the state.
\nIt is important to mention here that there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the Mastung attack by any group. Even the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), responsible for some of the deadliest attacks in Pakistan, denied its involvement in Friday\u2019s bombing.
\nThe interior minister vowed to relentlessly pursue terrorists, signalling a departure from the policy of appeasement adopted in recent years. He said that the state was aware of terrorists\u2019 locations and safe havens and would take action against them.
\nBugti also mentioned a previous attack on JUI-F leader Hafiz Hamdullah earlier in the month, stating that the mastermind behind that attack had been eliminated.
\nThe minister expressed frustration with past instances wherein the state adopted an appeasement policy when dealing with terrorist elements. He made it clear that from now on the state would not hesitate to hunt down any terrorist group, be it Daesh or TTP or anyone else.
\nIn response to a question about the suspension of district commissioners and superintendents of police, Bugti said that Balochistan Information Minister Jan Achakzai could answer it in detail, but emphasised that a thorough investigation would be conducted.
\nBugti highlighted that Friday\u2019s terrorist attack targeting a procession on the auspicious occasion of 12th Rabiul Awwal in Balochistan was unprecedented, recalling that previous attacks had targeted the Hazara community and Muharram processions.
\nRegarding the abduction of footballers from Dera Bugti district earlier in the month, Bugti confirmed that four of them had been rescued and the remaining two would also be safely recovered. The Balochistan caretaker government yesterday announced to observe three days of mourning in the entire province in view of the tragic incident that has so far seen 59 deaths.
\nMeanwhile, the Balochistan Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has registered a first information report (FIR) of the Mastung attack, and are investigating. In another incident of terrorism, two suicide attackers targeted a police station\u2019s mosque in Hangu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing five people and wounding 12 others.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Deceased individual was receiving treatment at Civil Hospital Trauma Center in Quetta QUETTA The death toll from the Mastung suicide blast rose to 60 on Sunday. Four victims are still said to be in a critical condition. It was reported that 18 victims are still admitted to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) and three others are […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-359316","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n