Two separate blasts in Quetta on Monday claimed the lives of four people — including two police personnel — and injured 22 people, officials said.

Both the attacks were targeting the police.

The first blast occurred near a police vehicle parked next to Qandahari Bazaar on Shahrah-i-Iqbal, according to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Captain (retd) Zohaib Mohsin, who also confirmed the deaths of the two police officers in the attack.

“The explosives were planted in a motorcycle,” he said, adding that the injured also included women and children.

“According to initial information, three to four kilogrammes of explosives were used in the blast,” the police official said. “Due to the blast, two vehicles, including the police van, were damaged.”

Quetta Civil Hospital spokesperson Dr Wasim Baig confirmed the number of victims in the first blast to Dawn.com as four dead and 18 injured, saying that the deceased also included a minor girl.

TV footage showed a damaged police automobile surrounded by a number of personnel. Several ambulances were also seen leaving the site of the explosion.

The responsibility for the attack was claimed by the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which is an armed insurgent group carrying out militant activities against the state of Pakistan. Among its agenda is secession for Balochistan.

Separately, Baig confirmed that four people were injured in a second attack at Munir Mengal Road.

SSP Mohsin said Sariab Station House Officer (SHO) Ehsanullah Marwat’s vehicle was targeted at Munir Mengal Road near Sariab Phatak.

He said two passers-by were injured in the blast from an improvised explosive device and were taken to Civil Hospital for treatment. Mohsin said that the SHO and other police personnel with him were inspecting officers stationed at Munir Mengal Road on their duties and were not present in the vehicle during the time of the blast.

The SSP added that the bomb disposal squad and a heavy police contingent reached the scene and were collecting evidence.

He said that initial findings showed that the blast was carried out through remote-controlled detonation with 1.5-2kgs of explosive material used.

A day earlier, two cops were martyred and one was injured in an attack by unknown assailants in the Killi Spine area of the Kuchlak district.

The policemen, who belon­ged to the Eagle Squad, were patrolling on a motorcycle when the assailants opened indiscriminate fire, leaving three injured. Quetta DIG Ghulam Azfar Maheser had confirmed that the cops were targeted by terrorists.

Condemnations

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the incident and prayed for the deceased while extending his condolences to their families.

He directed officials to provide medical facilities to the injured and sought a report about the attack from the authorities.

The prime minister said the “nefarious designs” of the terrorists would be foiled.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah emphasised that the entire nation stood in solidarity with the deceased and paid tribute to them.

“Terrorist elements cannot weaken the nation’s morale with such cowardly attacks,” he said, adding that the government was “committed to eradicating these handfuls of terrorists and taking revenge”.

He vowed that the perpetrators would be brought to justice and punished severely for their heinous acts.

Sanaullah also assured that the government would do everything possible to provide the injured with the best medical care.

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo also strongly condemned the blast and expressed his grief over the loss of lives.

The chief minister sought a report from the inspector general of police on the incident and security measures in the city.

“Those who shed the blood of innocent people in the holy month of Ramazan do not deserve to be called human beings,” he said and directed the concerned department that action should be taken against terrorist elements and their patrons.

“The security measures in the city should be made more effective in order to ensure the protection of public lives and their properties,” he said.

The chief minister extended his condolences and sympathies to the families of the deceased.

Bizenjo directed that the best treatment facilities be provided to the injured by imposing an emergency in the hospitals.

Balochistan Governor Malik Abdul Wali Khan Kakar too directed the health department to provide medical facilities to the victims and instructed the law enforcement agencies to utilise all available resources to arrest the culprits involved.

He also prayed for the forgiveness of the deceased and for the speedy recovery of the injured.

Additional input from the Associated Press of Pakistan.