QUETTA: An improvised explosive device (IED) planted near the commercial area of Liaquat Bazaar by unidentified people was defused here on Tuesday.

The area people took notice of a suspicious carton lying on London Street for a long time and informed police about it.

Police and personnel of security forces cordoned off the area and called the bomb disposal squad. Experts found an IED in the carton and defused it.

A police official said it appeared that saboteurs, who had put explosives in the box, wanted to shift it to another place to carry out a blast.

Bomb experts said that around 9kg explosives with a time device had been placed in the carton. “It was a local man who saved the area from a disaster,” police officials said.

Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch announced Rs100,000 reward for the man who informed the police about the explosive-laden carton. He also announced Rs100,000 reward for the bomb experts who defused the IED.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2015

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