QUETTA: Seven people were injured in a hand-grenade attack on a vehicle carrying Frontier Corps personnel in Kharan town, on Sunday.

Officials said the FC personnel were passing through the Kharan bazar when unidentified motorcyclists hurled a hand-grenade at their vehicle.

However, the grenade missed the target and exploded in front of a tea stall, leaving seven passersby injured.

Police rushed to the area and shifted the injured people to district hospital.

“Those injured were passing through the area at the time of the attack,” senior police officer Has­him Baloch said, adding that the target was a vehicle carrying FC soldiers, but the personnel rema­ined unhurt in the attack.

Death toll from Zhob attack on ATF men climbs to three as two succumb to injuries

Meanwhile, two more personnel of Balochistan’s Anti-Terrorist Force (ATF), who were injured in Saturday night’s attack at Zhob-Dera Ismail Khan Highway, succumbed to their injuries on Sunday, taking the death toll to three.

Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Gohar Mushtaq was martyred and three others were injured in Saturday’s attack.

The ATF personnel were on their way to Mani-Khawah when unidentified assailants opened fire on the pick-up they were travelling in near Silaza area.

The two ATF personnel who embraced martyrdom on Sunday were Shafiq Mal­azai and Amir Muhammad.

Funeral prayer of ASI Mushtaq was offered in Loralai and he was buried in his native village with full official honours.

Senior police officers attended his funeral prayer.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday strongly condemned the firing on ATF personnel in Zhob.

The prime minister, offering his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, prayed for the elevation of ranks of the martyred in Jannah.

“The entire nation salutes the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the fight against terrorism,” the prime minister said.

“We are determined to eradicate the menace of terrorism from its roots,” he added.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti also condemned the attack, expressing sorrow over the martyrdom of ASI Mushtaq.

He offered condolences to bereaved families.

Former government spok­esperson Babar Yousa­fzai also condemned the attack, asserting that the entire nation stood united against cowardly attack by terrorists and their malicious intentions.

He paid tribute to the fallen ATF personnel and expressed solidarity with their families.

Published in Dawn, September 23rd, 2024