QUETTA: At least six security personnel were injured, two of them seriously, in a motorcycle bomb explosion that targeted an army convoy on Airport Road here on Thursday evening.

Officials said that the blast took place in front of the under-construction Askari Mall when a convoy of law enforcement agencies was passing through the area in the busy hours.

The truck, which was hit by the bomb attack, caught fire after the blast. However, other vehicles included in the convoy remained safe, official sources said.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

Explosives-rigged motorcycle used in attack targeting a convoy

Balochistan Home Minister Ziaullah Langove, after visiting the explosion site, told the media that the injured were taken to the Combined Military Hospital, Quetta.

He said that a motorcycle rigged with 5kg of explosives, which was parked at the site, was used in the explosion.

Inspector General of Balochistan Mohammad Tahir Rai said that an improvised explosive device (IED) had been planted on the motorcycle, which was detonated by remote control.

He said that police and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) were investigating the blast as they had collected evidence from the explosion site.

A spokesman for the CTD said that the target of the attack was the army convoy which was passing through the area. He said that the condition of at least two injured soldiers was serious.

Home Minister Langove condemned the attack and said that such cowardly acts could not down the morale of the security forces which had rendered great sacrifices for restoring peace in the country, especially in Balochistan.

He said that Indian involvement in the blast could not be ruled out as Indians were using Afghan soil for conducting such terrorist attacks in Pakistan.

“Extremist religious organisations could be involved in such terrorist attacks,” Mr Langove said, hoping that those responsible for the latest attack and their facilitators would be brought to justice soon.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2021