QUETTA, Sept 2: Security agencies have taken a dozen suspects into custody for questioning in connection with the bomb blast in Kalat that claimed four lives and injured 11 people on Tuesday.

Police officials said that a special team has already been set up to investigate into the Kalat blast. Meanwhile, personnel of the bomb disposal squad visited Kalat and inspected the site of the explosion.

It was a home-made 10kg bomb hidden in a plastic bag and had a timer device planted in it, Director of the Civil Defence Akbar Ali told the investigating officials. Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Mir Mohammad Yousuf presided over a meeting in Kalat that reviewed the overall law and order situation.

The chief minister took serious notice of the situation and asked officials of police and law-enforcement agencies to apprehend culprits involved in the Kalat blast and rocket attacks.

He said urged law-enforcement agencies to utilize to find out people backing saboteurs besides asking them to expand their area of investigation. He said that the local people should be taken into confidence as their help could prove to be very helpful.

The chief minister called for effective security measures to protect the life and property of the people. "The government will fulfil its responsibility for providing protection to the people," Jam Yousuf said.

The chief minister announced a compensation amounting to Rs200,000 for each person killed while Rs50,000 would be paid to every person critically wounded in the blast, adding that Rs25,000 would be paid to people who were slightly injured.

He asked the officials concerned to determine the extent of property loss so that compensation could be paid to the affectees. The Deputy Inspector-General Police of the Kalat Region, Ghulam Qadir Theboo, informed the Chief Minister about the progress of the probe so far.