2 injured in grenade attack on Quetta security checkpoint: police

Published September 1, 2024
Bystanders and security personnel gather at the site of a grenade attack in Quetta’s Chaman Phatak area on September 1. — Photo via author
Bystanders and security personnel gather at the site of a grenade attack in Quetta’s Chaman Phatak area on September 1. — Photo via author

Two bystanders were injured on Sunday in a grenade attack on a security checkpoint in Quetta’s Chaman Phatak area, according to a senior police official.

Superintendent of Police (City) Azhar Shah told Dawn.com that the injured were taken to Civil Hospital, adding that police and CTD cordoned off the area and launched an investigation.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects threw a grenade at the checkpost, but it fell outside and exploded. SP Shah also told Dawn.com that Safe City cameras are being employed to trace the suspects.

Balochistan Health Department Spokesman Dr Waseem Baig confirmed that both the victims, Osama and Ghulam Hussain, were out of danger and receiving medical aid.

Last week, at least 50 people, including 14 security men, lost their lives in different parts of Balochistan as dozens of militants affiliated with the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) — a separatist outfit — went on a rampage across the province, storming police stations, blowing up railway tracks, and setting fire to almost three dozen vehicles.

In subsequent operations, the armed forces’ media wing said 21 militants were neutralised by the security forces as Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi vowed to crush terrorism in the province.

In Musakhail, a district on the border with Punjab, the militants shot dead 23 people after checking their identity documents.

“We found 23 bullet-riddled bodies lying by a roadside,” Ayub Achakzai, Musakhail SSP told Dawn. He added that among the dead bodies, a person who was shot in the legs was rescued.

In Kalat, militants attacked a Levies station, two hotels, and the residence of a tribal elder besides setting alight a toll plaza on the national highway.

In the exchange of fire, 11 people, including four Levies officials and a police sub-inspector, lost their lives whereas nine people, including Kalat Assistant Commissioner Aftab Lasi, were injured.

In Bolan’s Kolpur area, six bodies were recovered. Security officials believed they were also shot dead by militants.

Opinion

Editorial

Electricity relief
Updated 05 Apr, 2025

Electricity relief

If govt ensures that requisite power reforms are implemented, it will earn much praise for reforming a vital segment of the economy.
Trump’s trade wars
Updated 05 Apr, 2025

Trump’s trade wars

Shoddy math applied by US to indiscriminately penalise its trading partners signals the end of an era of global trade liberalisation.
Legalised land grab
Updated 05 Apr, 2025

Legalised land grab

The Modi government from its inception has been attacking India’s minorities, the largest such community in its crosshairs being the Muslims.
More than words
Updated 04 Apr, 2025

More than words

Holistic development can only work when there is organic and credible political activity in the province.
Poor publicity
04 Apr, 2025

Poor publicity

FORTUNE does not seem to be favouring the PTI — at least not yet. With the party’s founder confined from public...
Party pooper
04 Apr, 2025

Party pooper

INDIA’s role of a spoilsport is tiresome. From pulling books from shelves, such as Wendy Doniger’s The Hindus: ...