QUETTA: Officials said a roadside bomb went off near a vehicle escorting a judge of the Federal Shariat Court, wounding 14 people.
Fourteen people were injured in a roadside blast targeting a vehicle belonging to the Anti-Terrorism Force (ATF) accompanying Justice Zahoor Shahwani's vehicle at Quetta's Zarghon Road on Thursday.
According to rescue officials, ten civilians and four security officials were injured, with two in critical condition, in a roadside blast targeting a vehicle belonging to the ATF near Al Khair Hospital in Balochistan's provincial capital. The blast also shattered windows of nearby buildings.
Balochistan Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said the judge was unharmed.
Police spokesman Shahzada Farhat says police officers and passers-by were wounded.
The bomb was planted along the side of the road and exploded as the ATF's vehicle escorting the judge passed by.
Security forces and a bomb disposal squad reached the scene to collect evidence. Rescue teams moved the injured to Civil Hospital Quetta and CMH.
Police cordoned off the area as a search operation went underway.
"This is a busy road and the terrorists take advantage of this, planting bombs and fleeing on motorcycles," said Bugti, strongly condemning the attack while talking to media at the site of the blast.
"These blasts are aimed at sabotaging Independence Day activities in Balochistan. I believe these cowardly acts will not bring down our morale. We are in a conflict zone and we will fight with renewed resolve."
"We are reviewing our security measures and you will see changes on the ground."
The minister added that three to four kilograms of explosive material was used in the blast.
The explosion comes just days after a suicide bombing that killed over 70 people, mostly lawyers and journalists, at the emergency ward of Quetta's Civil Hospital on Monday.
A combing operation is ongoing throughout Quetta following Monday's blast.
