QUETTA: A police official was killed and another critically injured when a huge explosion rocked Gawalmandi Chowk in Quetta, DawnNews reported on Tuesday.

Rescue authorities rushed to the site of the incident. The injured were rushed to Civil Hospital Quetta where emergency was imposed to provide urgent treatment to those critical.

Initial reports claim that four people, including one policeman, were injured in the blast which occurred near a police station.

Police and security forces have cordoned off the area, it added.

The blast smashed windows of shops and also damaged the vehicles parked nearby. Shops in the area were closed and traffic suspended after the blast.

Police and Frontier Corps officials reached the site and cordoned off the area. An investigation into the incident is also underway.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

Also read: Blast kills one, injures 15 in Quetta

Balochistan Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti reached the site of the blast and strongly condemned the incident.

"We would not bow down before miscreants," Bugti told reporters at Gawalmandi Chowk area, where the blast went off. He said, "terrorists have been targeting innocent people".

The provincial home minister said such nefarious designs would be foiled with the support of masses. He assured that the perpetrators of the blast would be brought to book.

Armed militants have targeted security forces and pro-government politicians for over seven years in the province which borders Afghanistan and Iran.

Authorities have been conducting raids in the city to arrest militants and put a check on acts of violence that have haunted Quetta for a while now.

(This is a developing story and will be updated accordingly)