QUETTA - At least four persons were martyred while 20 others injured in a suicide bomb blast at Baleli Road in Quetta on Wednesday, rescue workers said. Reportedly, the outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack. Quetta Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Ghulam Azfar Mahesar told reporters a suicide bomber rammed his auto-rickshaw into a truck transporting policemen on their way to protect medical workers administering polio vaccines. The ensuing powerful blast toppled the truck into a roadside ravine and damaged two nearby vehicles, injuring four civilians, the officer said. “Remains of a suicide bomber have been found near the crime scene,” Mehser added. The bombing happened two days after the TTP announced it was resuming nationwide attacks in retaliation for military operations against its fighters, dumping a shaky unilateral truce with the Pakistan government. Wednesday’s attack in Quetta came amid an ongoing nationwide anti-polio drive to inoculate children under five years of age against the crippling disease in dozens of high-risk districts, including Baluchistan. The five-day campaign was rolled out on Monday. According to police sources, all the injured were shifted to Civil Hospital Quetta for treatment. Reportedly, a suicide bomber targeted a truck transporting policemen for the security of polio workers during the ongoing anti-polio campaign. As a result, a policeman and a child died on the spot while a woman and her child expired in the hospital. Another 26 people including 23 policemen were wounded in the terror attack. Both the deceased children were siblings, police sources added. According to initial investigation, police said, the truck carrying policemen was targeted in the explosion. Police, bomb disposal squad and rescue teams rushed to the site of the explosion soon after the bombing. Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo strongly condemned the blast. He said strict action will be taken against elements involved in the blast. He also directed concerned health officials to provide best health facilities to injured police personnel and civilians. Meanwhile, President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday strongly condemned the suicide attack at a police van deputed on the security of an anti-polio team and said such nefarious designs would not be allowed to harm the country’s commitment to eliminate the disease. In their separate statements on the terrorist incident in Quetta’s Baleli area, the president and the prime minister expressed their resolve to continue efforts till the complete end of polio. President Alvi paid tribute to the efforts of health workers and police personnel for saving the children of the country from the crippling disease. He prayed for the forgiveness of the souls of the deceased and for the early recovery of the wounded. PM Shehbaz Sharif said polio workers across the country were fulfilling their responsibilities without caring about their lives.