QUETTA: The Special Judge of the Anti-Terrorist Court (ATC) Quetta, Mr Nazeer Ahmed Langov, escaped a remote control bomb attack on his car in the Zarghoon road area on Tuesday. The powerful bomb detonated by remote control left a 13-year-old boy dead and 29 other people injured. The injured included four policemen and a woman.

An official of the bomb disposal squad said that around 40 kilograms of explosives had been used in the blast.

“The target of the attack, a senior police official said, was Anti-Terrorist Court judge who escaped unhurt. The car of the judge was damaged and his two security guards were injured.

According to sources, the explosives were planted in a car by terrorists who parked it close to the Zarghoon Plaza.

The bomb was detonated when the car of Special Judge Nazeer Langov and the police vehicle escorting him were near the plaza.

“I was behind the car of the ATC judge in the police vehicle when the powerful blast took place, Police Officer Janjua told Dawn, adding that “by the grace of God judge Sahab and I and some other people at the place remained safe”.

The boy who died in the blast was taking his pushcart with bread and other items for sale.

“The lower part of the boy’s body was blown to pieces,” witness Adnan Ahmed told Dawn. The boy was identified as Aizaz Ahmed of Sirki road area.

The condition of at least four of the injured people was stated to be serious.

The blast damaged a number of private vehicles and motorcycles and shattered window panes of several nearby buildings and shops. Police and the Frontier Corps personnel and rescue teams took the injured and to the Civil Hospital.

A police team started investigation and security personnel detained some suspects.

The Balochistan Bar Association condemned the attack and said that lawyers would observe a strike on Wednesday in protest against the attack.

Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch said that elements involved n the attack would soon be brought to justice.

He directed Inspector General of Police to ensure immediate arrest of culprits involved in the blast. He directed hospital authorities to provide best possible treatment to the injured.

A spokesman for the banned United Baloch Army (UBA) claimed responsibility for the bomb blast.

Mureed Baloch, the spokesman for the organisation calling from an unknown place, told media that the BUA had carried out the attack and its target was security personnel of the Frontier Corps and police.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2014