QUETTA: A policeman was killed and five other people, including two children, were injured in a bomb blast in Gawalmandi area of the city on Tuesday.

Police said that an improvised device with about 5kgs of explosives was used for the blast. It was a timed device packed in a cotton bag lying unclaimed outside a shop at the Gawalmandi Chowk.

Sources said that some people who had noticed the suspicious bag informed police about it and a police team reached the area not far from the Gawalmandi police station. But as soon as a policeman touched the bag the device went off, rocking the entire area and creating panic among people.

The policeman suffered serious injuries and died on the spot. He was identified as Mohammad Zaman.

The injured were taken to the civil hospital and two of them were said to be in a severe condition. Hospital officials identified the injured as Atif Shahzad, Waliullah, Moham­mad Rahim Khan, Naqeebullah and Nadeem.

Some shops were also damaged by the blast.

Security personnel cordoned off the area and beefed up security in the city.

Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch condemned the blast and sought a report from the officials concerned.

Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2015

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