Mastung blast case registered as death toll jumps to 55

QUETTA: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in Balochistan on Saturday registered the First Information Report (FIR) of the Mastung suicide blast which killed at least 55 people.

At least 55 people, including a police officer, were killed while dozens were injured in a suicide blast near a 12th Rabiul Awwal procession in Balochistan’s Mastung district on Friday.

According to the district administration, Mastung’s Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nawaz Gashkori was among the deceased. Police said the explosion was a “suicide blast” and that the bomber exploded himself next to DSP Gishkori’s car.

According to CTD spokesperson, unknown persons have been booked in the FIR registered under sections of attempted murder, murder, terrorism and possession of explosive material.

The spokesperson said that an investigation was launched into the terror act but no arrest was made yet.

Initial probe report submitted

Inspector General (IG) Balochistan police presented the initial probe report of the Mastung suicide blast to the Caretaker Chief Minister (CM) Ali Mardan Khan Domki.

Caretaker Balochistan CM Ali Mardan Khan Domki chaired a high-level session to review progress on the investigation into the Mastung suicide blast.

IG Balochistan Abdul Khaliq Shaikh gave a briefing to the participants of the session. He said that it was a suicide bomb blast in which the terrorist used six to eight kilograms of explosive material.

The Health Secretary said that eight of the wounded persons are critical.

The caretaker CM said that initial evidence of the Mastung blast came forth and culprits will be brought to justice soon.

CM Domki said that the families of the martyred citizens will be given compensation money and the provincial government will bear all medical expenses of the wounded persons.

Earlier this month, at least 11 people, including Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Hafiz Hamdullah, were injured in a blast in the same district.

The JUI-F leader who also serves as spokesman of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) alliance got injured along with one of his aides and his gunman while on his way to Mangocher city of Balochistan in what authorities are calling a roadside blast.