7 killed, 21 injured in Quetta blast

Quetta: At least seven persons were killed and 21 injured in an explosion in the city on Monday, a media report quoted Balochistan government spokesman Liaqat Shahwani as saying.

Two policemen were among the seven victims, confirmed Quetta Deputy Inspector General Abdul Razzaq Cheema.

Cheema said 21 others were injured in the explosion near the Quetta Press Club located on Shahrah-i-Adalat. He said that so far the blast “seems to be a suicide attack”.

Several vehicles parked in the vicinity were damaged due to the blast impact.

Quetta Civil Hospital spokesperson Waseem Baig had earlier confirmed 19 were injured in the blast, which took place as a demonstration was on near the Press Club.

Security personnel cordoned off the area and conducted a search operation. Officials said that the nature of the blast had not yet been ascertained.

On January 10, a blast inside a mosque in Quetta’s Satellite Town area during Friday evening prayers had claimed 15 lives and left 19 people injured.