Quetta tragedy: Death toll reaches 80

QUETTA: The death toll of Kerani Road bombing has reached 80, bringing the number of injured down to 173 as more of the critical victims succumbed to their wounds, Geo News reported.

DIG Wazir Khan Nasir was reported by a foreign news agency as saying that all the dead belonged to Hazara community and the death toll might rise.

A large number of women and children are among the victims of the mega blast that hit Quetta on Saturday.

CCPO Quetta said the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) the terrorists planted in a watertank was armed with around 800-1000 kilograms of high-grade detonable material.

He said people with critical injuries would be flown to Karachi through military aircraft C-130.

According to reports the explosion demolished several markets in the area.

More casualties were feared as many of the injured were in critical condition.

Adjacent areas reverberated with intense firing following the blast while heavy contingent of police and Frontier Corps (FC) rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area. They were not allowing people including media men to reach the spot.

Rescue sources said plumes of smoke were seen shortly after the huge blast. Many vehicles were also damaged due to the blast.

Enraged people took to the streets and protested the blast, pelting vehicles with stones and blocking roads. Most of the people were busy in shopping as the blast hit market.

Various religious and political parties have announced to mark day of mourning over the tragic incident.

Victims will not be buried until demands are met

The Majlis-e-Wahadat-ul-Muslimeen said Sunday that the sit-in of the Hazara community would continue and victims would not be buried until their demands were met.

The demands include calling in the army to take control of Balochistan and taking action against those involved in such horrific acts.


HDP gives 48-hour ultimatum

Hazara Democratic Party (HDP) has given a 48-hour ultimatum to authorities concerned for the arrest of miscreants involved in Kerani Road carnage.

Addressing a hurriedly called press conference here on Sunday, vice chairman HDP Azizullah Hazara said they had given a 48-hour ultimatum to the authorities for the arrest of elements involved in the Kerani carnage, adding if the culprits were not brought to book, protests would be held outside BHC on daily basis.

Mourning in Sindh, Balochistan

The governments had Sindh and Balochistan observed a day of mourning over the killing of 80 people in Quetta on Saturday.

Meanwhile a shutter down strike on the call of the Hazara Democratic Party was held in Quetta.

Karachi Goods Transporters Association and Oil Tankers Association also announced to halt supply of goods across the country.