According to local media reports, in Pakistan’s southwest Balochistan province, a suicide bomber targeted a vehicle transporting a leader of a religious political party- Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam Pakistan (JUI) on Thursday. The attack resulted in injuries to the leader and 10 other individuals, as reported by the police.
According to Attaul Muneem, the Assistant Commissioner of Mastung, 11 individuals have been injured in the incident and they have been transferred to Quetta for medical care, the Down news agency reported.
The spokesperson of JUI, Aslam Ghori, expressed strong condemnation for the attack on Hafiz Hamdullah. As per his tweet, the condition of Hafiz Hamdullah and his companions has improved. He also mentioned that Hafiz Hamdullah and other injured individuals have been transported to Quetta. Aslam Ghori called for a thorough investigation by the government and urged them to ensure that those responsible for this unfortunate incident are brought to justice.
According to police sources from Dawn news agency, Hafiz Hamdullah, the leader of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), was traveling to a political rally in Kalat district when a motorcycle carrying explosives collided with his vehicle in Mastung district.
The sources said that the suspected bomber rammed his bike into Hamdullah’s vehicle on a main highway in the district, causing a loud blast that was heard from several kilometers away, the news agency reported.
Hamdullah and his two gunmen sustained minor injuries and were shifted to a nearby hospital, where they are in stable condition, the JUI’s spokesperson Aslam Ghauri told media.
A passenger van that was passing by Hamdullah’s vehicle at the time of the attack also got damaged, and eight passengers suffered injuries from shattered glass windows, police said.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet, but Balochistan has been plagued by violence from various militant groups, including separatists, religious extremists and insurgents.
The area has been cordoned off for investigation, and security forces have launched a search operation to nab the culprits, police said.
Balochistan Interim Home Minister Zubair Jamali strongly condemned the incident and subsequently ordered the authorities to prepare a report. Additionally, he instructed the district administration to assist the injured and reassured the nation that all available resources would be employed to eliminate terrorist elements.
Asif Ali Zardari, the ex-President of Pakistan, expressed his prayers for the victims and strongly condemned the incident. He emphasized the need to bring terrorists and those supporting terrorism to justice.
The caretaker Sindh Chief Minister, Retired Justice Maqbool Baqar, issued a statement affirming that the entire nation stands together in opposition to terrorism.
The JUI is a conservative Sunni Muslim party that has a strong base in Balochistan and other parts of Pakistan. It is part of the opposition alliance that has been holding anti-government rallies across the country since last year.
(With inputs from agencies)
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