Quetta suicide attack toll rises to 65

Published September 5, 2010

Paramilitary soldiers secure the site of a suicide bomb attack that targeted a Shia Muslim rally in Quetta on September 3. — Photo by AFP
QUETTA The death toll from Friday's suicide attack on a procession here rose to 65 after nine people succumbed to their injuries on Saturday.

Hospital sources said the condition of some of the injured, including two cameramen of news channels, was serious.

Fifty-three victims of the suicide attack on the Al Quds day procession were buried in Marriabad graveyard in the presence of thousands of mourners. Their Namaz-i-Janaza was offered in an imambargah on Alamdar road.

A large number of security personnel were deployed on routes leading to the graveyard.

All government and private schools were closed in Quetta.

Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani has ordered a judicial inquiry into the attack.

Officials said the judicial tribunal would comprise judges of the Balochistan High Court and their names would be announced in a couple of days.

The chief minister also announced that a ministerial commission would be set up to suggest ways of stopping such incidents in future. The commission, headed by provincial Home Minister Mir Zafarullah Zahri, will comprise Ministers Jan Ali Changezi and Ainullah Shams. Home Secretary Akbar Hussain Durrani will be its secretary. Mr Raisani said that more ministers would be included in the commission.

Three teams, headed by Quetta CCPO Abid Notkani, have started investigations into the suicide bombing. Police and security personnel raided various places in and around Quetta on Saturday and took 20 suspects into custody. “We have rounded up 20 people for questioning,” a senior police officer told Dawn.

STRIKE A complete strike was observed in Quetta on Saturday. Heavy contingents of police and Frontier Corps continued patrolled in and around the city. FC and police personnel were also deployed at important points and government installations.

A spokesman for the Shia community claimed that 12 people were killed in the bomb blast while the others died because of firing by security forces and terrorists.

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