December 19, 2008	Friday	Zilhaj 20, 1429

QUETTA, Dec 18: Law-enforcement agencies foiled on Thursday an attempt to blow up a Quetta-bound train by defusing a powerful bomb planted under a railway bridge in the Sariab area.

After receiving information about the bomb from local people, police and bomb disposal personnel rushed to the place near Musa Colony and defused it.

Police claimed that people who had planted the bomb wanted to blow up the Chiltan Express coming from Faisalabad.

In the evening, a powerful explosion rocked the Officers’ Colony area. Windowpanes of some houses were shattered, but there was no casualty.

Meanwhile, according to a report received from Dera Bugti, a woman was killed and five people were injured when a rocket hit the house of a pro-government tribal elder in the Beker area on Wednesday night.

However, Mir Gulam Qadir Masori Bugti escaped unhurt.

According to sources, militants fired five rockets four of which exploded in an open area.

Two security guards of Mir Gulam Qadir were among the injured.

Mir Gulam Qadir, an influential elder of the Masori clan, was a member of Gen Zia-ul Haq’s Majlis-i-Shura. He later joined the Pakistan People’s Party.

The Baloch Republican Army has claimed responsibility for the attack.