• ‘Planted bomb’ apparently targeted Hafiz Hamdullah
• Initial investigation suggests device was remote-controlled

QUETTA: At least 11 people, including JUI-F leader Hafiz Hamdullah, were injured in a blast targeting the party’s convoy near Mastung, some 50 kilometres from Quetta, on Thursday.

Officials said the blast occured near Mr Hamdullah’s car when he reached the Killi Chotu area, a locality on the outskirts of Mastung, while on his way there from Quetta to address a public meeting. The explosion severely damaged his car.

Police officials said the explosive device was planted at the roadside to target Mr Hamdullah. Senator Maulana Ghafoor Haideri of the JUI-F also said the blast targeted Mr Hamdullah’s vehicle.

“We are investigating the incident based on the evidence collected by the bomb disposal squad,” a senior police officer in Mastung told Dawn.

He said initial investigation suggested that the blast was remote-controlled as it happened when Mr Hamdullah’s car reached the site. The explosive device might have been planted in a motorcycle, as parts of a bike were also found at the site.

The injured — who also included other party leaders, security guards and a woman — were shifted to the Nawab Ghous Bakhsh Raisani Memorial Hospital.

A spokesperson for the hospital told Dawn that Mr Hamdullah and some other JUI-F leaders were shifted to Civil Hospital Quetta after initial treatment.

Hospital officials said Mr Hamdullah was in a stable condition but remained under treatment. However, the condition of at least three injured people was critical.

Apart from Mr Hamdullah, eight of the injured were identified, including Muhammad Yousaf, Qudratullah, Hafiz Rahim Bakhsh, Muhammad Aamir, Muhammad Yousaf, Haji Ahmed, Abdul Qadir, and Haleema.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the blast.

Maulana Haideri, JUI-F’s secretary general, was also targeted in a blast in Mastung a few years ago when a suicide bomber blew himself up near his convoy, killing some party workers. However, the JUI-F leader survived the attack.

JUI-F emir Maulana Fazlur Rehman also survived a suicide attack in Quetta when he was returning from Sadiq Shaheed Park after addressing a public meeting.

Thursday’s blast came a day after the Counter­terrorism Department (CTD) gunned down the suspected commander of a banned outfit in Mastung.

Strike in Quetta today

Meanwhile, in a joint press conference on Thursday, Maulana Haideri and Awami National Party (ANP) leader Asghar Achakzai strongly condemned the Mastung blast and announced a shutter-down strike in Quetta on Friday (today).

They alleged that the “same forces that brought Imran Khan” to power were behind the bomb attack.

Maulana Haideri said many JUI-F leaders and workers had been targeted in different areas of Balochistan.

Besides, over 100 leaders and workers were recently targeted in a bomb blast in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district during a party convention.

He said that despite all such attacks and other conspiracies to eliminate the party’s leadership, party leaders and workers would not bow down and would fight against foreign forces who wanted to destroy Pakistan.

He said that elections should be conducted as soon as possible to bring the country out of the current situation.

Mr Achakzai expressed solidarity with the JUI-F and said his party would support today’s strike.

PM, others condemn blast

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar strongly condemned the “dastardly attack” and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured persons. He also stressed that the entire nation was standing united in the face of terrorism.

Balochistan Governor Malik Abdul Wali Kakar, Caretaker Chief Minister Mir Ali Mardan Domki and Home Minister Zubair Ahmed Jamali, also condemned the attack and described it as an attempt to eliminate political leadership.

Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi said targeting innocent citizens and political personalities was a cowardly act and elements involved in terrorism do not deserve any leniency. He highlighted that the whole nation stood united against this menace.

Sindh’s Caretaker Chief Minister Maqbool Baqar also condemned the blast and expressed grief over the people injured in the incident. “The nation stands united against terrorism,” he said in a statement, while praying for the swift recovery of the injured.

Former president Asif Ali Zardari also condemned the incident and prayed for the injured. “Terrorists and facilitators involved in terrorism should be brought under the law,” he said.

Abdul Wahid Shahwani in Khuzdar also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2023