Funeral of Quetta blasts victims today, security on high alert

QUETTA: The funeral prayers of the victims who died in the stream of blasts at Alamdar Road will be offered today, Geo News reported.

The city is wearing a gloomy outlook and security is on high alert after three bomb blasts killed at least 100 people and wounded several others on Thursday night.

Lashkar-e-Jhangvi has claimed responsibility in telephone calls to local journalists.

Nine police personnel, three local journalists and several rescue workers were among those killed, officials said. DSP Quaidabad Mujahid Hussain and SHO Jaafar Ali were among the victims while SAMAA TV's cameraman Imran Shaikh and a reporter Saif-ur-Rahman were also killed in the deadly blasts. A satellite engineer of the same news channel was also seriously wounded in the blast.

Police said the blasts that occurred at Rehmattullah Chowk on Alamdar Road were suicide blasts. The first suicide bomber detonated his device inside a crowded snooker club, then about 10 minutes later another bomber outside the building present in a car detonated himself when police, media workers and rescue teams were busy in rescue efforts. 84 persons were killed and more than 100 were wounded in both the blasts.

Police said the bombings disrupted power supplies and plunged the area into darkness.

Before these twin blasts at Alamdar Road, at least twelve people including a child and three Frontier Corps (FC) personnel were also killed while 40 others sustained injuries when a powerful bomb ripped through Bacha Khan Chowk earlier in the day.

Bomb disposal squad said that 25 kilograms of explosives were used in the remote-controlled bomb that was fixed under a car.

Moreover, additional contingents of FC have been deployed in the backdrop of deteriorating security situation in Quetta and the security has been put on high alert.

Home Secretary Balochistan Akbar Hussain Durrani told Geo News that eight FC platoons have been called in while Army is also on alert to maintain security in Quetta today. FC would be deployed at sensitive places, the secretary added.

Balochistan government has announced three-day mourning over the killing of 100 people in twin suicide attacks on Alamdar Road and one remote-controlled blast at Bacha Khan Chowk. Meanwhile, the provincial government has announced compensation for the heirs of blast victims.

Sources said Rs2 million each would be provided to the heirs of deceased police officers and personnel while Rs1 million each would be provided to the relatives of other victims of Alamdar Road blasts.

Rs1 million each has also been announced for reporter and cameraman of private TV channel who lost their lives in the attack.