Senior cop Hamid Shakeel among three martyred in Quetta blast

QUETTA: Additional Inspector General (AIG) Telecommunications Hamid Shakeel Durrani and two other policemen were martyred in a suicide attack near Chaman Housing Scheme on Airport Road of the provincial capital city Quetta, ARY News reported on Thursday.

According to sources, senior police official Hamid Shakeel was the apparent target of the attack, who was leaving his residence and passing through an under construction building at the time of the attack.

Assistance Sub-Inspector (ASI) Ramzan and driver Jalil Ahmed were among the dead while four policemen were also injured. However, their identification of the injured could not be ascertained immediately.

All the injured were shifted to Civil Hospital Quetta for medical attendance.

The security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation immediately after the attack.

Chief Minister of Balochistan Sanaullah Zehri has strongly condemned the attack and summoned report as early as possible. He also expressed condolence to the bereaved families.

The culprits behind the cowardly attack would brought to justice, Zehri said.

Home Minister Sarfraz Bugti have separately condemned the blast and said that such a cowardly attack is the reflection of the evil nature of the terrorists.

Balochistan has experienced incidents of violence and targeted killings for over a decade. In recent months, the province has faced a number of security challenges, with security personnel in the province often being targeted in roadside explosions and suicide attacks.

Last month on Oct 18, at least seven policemen were martyred and 22 others injured in a ‘suspected’ car bombing on Sibi Road within the jurisdiction of Sariab Road police station of provincial capital Quetta.