Quetta: Frontier Corps given police power for two months

QUETTA: Frontier Corps (FC) troops deployed in Quetta have been given the powers of police yet again, which empowers the paramilitary forces to carry out search operations, conduct snap checking, and make arrests if needed, Geo News reported.

According to a notification issued the FC has been reinvested with this authority for two months.

The decision has come on the heels of rampant terrorist activities that befell Quetta on Thursday.

At least 100 people were killed in three separate blasts that occured in Quetta on Thursday evening, Geo News reported.

About twelve people including two children and a FC personal were killed while 40 others sustained injuries when a powerful bomb ripped through Bacha Khan Chowk.

Meanwhile, the first blast of the twin blasts on Alamdar road was reported from Rehmattullah Chowk, whereas the second one which struck Airport road area nearby came minutes after the first one.

Over 80 people including three media personnel and several rescue workers also lost their lives while covering the blast back to back blasts, meanwhile a DSP including nine other police officials were also killed in the attack.

The DIG Police Quetta, Hamid Shakil, says the first suicide bomber detonated his device inside a crowded snooker club, then about 10 minutes later another bomb planted outside the building went off as police, media workers and rescue teams rushed to the site.

The Geo News team, which also arrived at the site to cover the first blast, however, narrowly escaped the second one, but the satellite van the staffers were in was damaged partially. Fortunately Geo's cameramen and reporters received minor injuries.

"The shrapnel or the flying debris, which hit the Geo News DSNG following the second explosion shattered its windshield", sources said.


DSP Quaidabad, Mujahid Hussain, and SHO Jaafar Ali, who were injured in the second blast succumbed to their wounds later in the hospital.

A SAMA TV cameraman, Imran Shaikh and a reporter, Saif-ur-Rahman, were also killed in the deadly blast, whereas a satellite engineer was seriously wounded.

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

The funeral prayers of those that lost their lives in the calamitous event will be carried out today.