DERA MURAD JAMALI: At least 17 people, including two policemen, were injured in a grenade attack in Dera Allahyar town of Jaffarabad district on Sunday.

The police said unknown motorcyclists hurled a hand-grenade near Subatpur Chowk, which exploded and injured 17 people, including two traffic police constables.

Security officials rushed to the site after the blast and shifted the injured to the district hospital. According to hospital officials, at least four of the injured were in critical condition.

“We have shifted the critically injured people to Larkana,” a senior police officer said, adding that the cops could be the target of the attack.

The injured include Abdul Rasheed, Habibullah, Kando, Haider Ali, Mohsin Ali, Abdul Rasool, Muhammad Ali, Allah Dina, Wazir Khan, Muhammad Sarwar, Rehmat Ali, Munir Ali, Anwar Ali, Faryad Ali, Muhammad Saleem, Saleem Ahmed and Shaman Ali.

Police launched an investigation into the blast. However, no one immediately claimed responsibility for the grenade attack.

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo and Balochistan Assembly Speaker Mir Jan Muhammad Khan Jamali condemned the incident and described it as an act of terrorism.

However, they emphasised that the elements trying to create chaos would never succeed in their nefarious designs and would soon be brought to justice.

They said the government would continue to fulfil its responsibility of protecting the life and property of citizens.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2022