QUETTA: At least 10 people, a policeman, a woman and a child among them, were killed and 35 others injured in a powerful bomb explosion near the Government Science College here.

A spokesman for Ahrarul Hind, a militant group, called a foreign news agency to claim responsibility for the attack.

Balochistan Home Secretary Asad Gilani said a man, his son and two brothers hailing from Sindh were among those killed.

“A traffic constable and four Balochistan Constabulary personnel were injured,” SSP (Operations) Jaffar Khan told Dawn.

The blast, which took place at the junction of the Prince and Jinnah roads, rocked the entire city.

Mr Gilani said investigation was under way to ascertain the target of the bomb, which had been placed on a bicycle.

Chief Minister Dr Malik Baloch presided over a meeting to review the situation after the incident.

According to sources, a time device was used to detonate the bomb. It hit a passenger coach and seven other vehicles. Four rickshaws and three other vehicles caught fire after the blast.

Quetta police chief Abdul Razaq Cheema said five to eight kilograms of explosives placed on the bicycle parked on the roadside near the Civil Hospital Colony went off when the coach going towards Sariab was passing through the area.

“The powerful bicycle bomb blast hit a passenger coach loaded with commuters, a jeep, four motor rickshaws, a motorcycle rickshaw and other vehicles, leaving 10 people dead and 35 injured,” he said.

Bomb disposal squad officials said an improvised explosive device had been used.

Police and Frontier Corps personnel reached the place along with fire brigade. The injured were taken to the Civil Hospital and Combined Military Hospital. The fire was extinguished after about half an hour.

“People travelling in two rickshaws were badly burnt,” a witness, Adnan Ali, said.

Most of the victims were travelling in the coach, which was destroyed.

The explosion took place when people had resumed their routine activities after Friday prayers.

A public gathering was being held by the Ahl-i-Sunnat Wal Jamaat at the Hockey Ground at the time.

Rescue workers said some of the bodies were charred beyond recognition.

Some vehicles carrying FC personnel were present near the scene, but the security forces refuted reports that they had been the target.

Windowpanes of shops were smashed and smoke could be seen from far away.

Frontier Corps, police and Balochistan Constabulary personnel cordoned off the area and started investigation after the attack.

Those killed included Mohammad Aslam Rind, Mohammad Haris Rind, Nasaruddin, Ghulam Mustafa and his brother Majid.

Our Correspondent in Miramshah adds: The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan’s spokesman Shahidullah Shahid condemned both the attacks.

“We have no connection with these attacks. Our fighters will honour our shura’s decision to observe ceasefire at any cost,” he told this correspondent. “Since we have decided to observe ceasefire, we will abide by it till further directives from the shura.”

He also said that “we disown the people who carried out the blasts”.

According to Reuters, the Ahrarul Hind’s spokesman Omer Qasmi said: “We claim both Peshawar and Quetta attacks. We don’t abide by these talks and will continue to stage attacks.”