QUETTA, May 12: Balochistan’s Inspector General of Police Mushtaq Sukhera escaped a suicide attack here on Sunday night. Five people were killed and 68 others, 27 police personnel among them, injured in the attack.

The powerful blast destroyed IGP’s official residence.

The IGP’s house is located in the high security zone on Zarghoon Road where the Governor’s House, Chief Minister’s House, official residence of the chief secretary, Civil Secretariat and other important government buildings are also situated.

The explosion damaged buildings within a radius of about two kilometres in the security zone.

Sources said that the suicide bomber in a mini-truck laden with explosives was chasing the IGP’s motorcade that was going to his official residence.

The bomber struck the vehicle outside the IGP’s residence.

“The suicide bomber rammed his vehicle loaded with 2,000 kg of explosives against the boulders near the IGP’s house,” Deputy Inspector General Investigation Syed Mobin Ahmed told Dawn.

The blast killed five people, including a child, and injured 68 others, including 12 police personnel who were escorting the IGP’s vehicle.

Sources in the bomb disposal squad said that there were rockets in the vehicle.

“The dead include two personnel of Frontier Corps whose bodies were taken to the Combined Military Hospital,” Mr Mobin said. A student, who was passing through Zarghoon Road, was also killed.

Police personnel posted at a checkpost at the corner of the Governor’s House had tried to stop the vehicle, but failed.

After the blast, heavy firing started on Jinnah Road and in front of the Quetta Press Club.

Windowpanes of the offices of Dawn, bureaus of the Associated Press of Pakistan and Samaa TV and other nearby buildings were also shattered.—Saleem Shahid