QUETTA - At least four persons including two policemen were martyred and 32 people including police official and children were injured in a bomb blast at Baldia Plaza near Meezan Chowk area of provincial capital on Tuesday evening.

According to Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Police Abdul Razzaq Cheema, unknown men had attached explosive devices with a motorbike and parked it near Meezan Chowk which went off when a police vehicle was passing from the area.

As a result, four people died on the spot while 32 others including Additional SHO of City Police Station and children sustained injuries.

Provincial Civil Hospital’s Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr Saleem Abro told APP that four dead bodies and 30 injured were brought to the hospital where the injured were being treated, saying that four of them were in critical condition. He said an emergency was imposed in the hospital on direction of Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Jam Kamal Khan.

The bodies were identified as Jamaluddin, Sharfuddin, Ali Shah and Ainullah and the injured included Naseebullah, Temoor, Muhammad Sadiq, Muhammad Farid, Abdul Ghaffar, Nasrullah, Ubaidullah, Shehroz Shakeel, Hassnain, Zia-ur-Rehman, Shafatullah, Asia, Mir Muhammad, Abdul Rehman, Abdul Wahid, Shahid Ahmed, Zia-ur-Rehman, Mir Ahmed, Nukhtaseebullah, Naseebullah, Nadir Ali, Sardar Khan, Muhammad Jabir, Nematullah, Naseebullah, Rehanullah, Nasrullah, Baz Muhammad, Hafeez Muhammadullah, Shihd Hussain, 4-year-old Muhammad and 6-year-old  Mazkora.

SHO Chaudhry Shafaat Ali was seriously injured and he was being treated, said DIG Abdul Razzaq Cheema.

Nearby shops and vehicles were also damaged in the bomb blast. Law enforcement agencies reached the site and cordoned off the entire area and started investigation.

Governor Balochistan Amanullah Khan Yasinzai along with Chief Minister and provincial ministers strongly condemned the incident and expressed their sorrow over the loss of precious lives including police officials and citizens.