Quetta [Pakistan], September 30 : At least 10 people were killed and 32 injured on Tuesday after a powerful explosion struck a busy street near the Frontier Corps (FC) headquarters in Balochistan's capital Quetta, Dawn reported.
Balochistan Health Minister Bakht Muhammad Kakar confirmed the death toll and said all the injured were taken to the nearby Civil Hospital for treatment.
As per Dawn, the police said that only eight bodies were brought to the Civil Hospital after the deadly blast.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Special Operations Quetta Muhammad Baloch stated that the blast occurred when a vehicle turned from Model Town towards Hali Road, near the FC headquarters.
As per Dawan, television and social media footage captured the moment the explosion ripped through the area.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti also condemned the incident and described it as a "terrorist attack."
He said security forces responded immediately and killed four assailants. "The terrorists cannot weaken the nation's resolve through cowardly acts," he said in a statement issued on social media platform X.
"The terrorists cannot weaken the nation's resolve through cowardly acts. The sacrifices of the people and security forces will not go in vain. We remain committed to making Balochistan peaceful and secure. I express solidarity with the families of the martyrs, pray for the elevation of their ranks, and for the speedy recovery of the injured, " he added.
Later, speaking during an event in Quetta, he said that "an operation against the terrorists is underway."
President Asif Ali Zardari, on the other hand, said it was a "suicide attack."
The security situation in Balochistan has deteriorated in recent months, with the Pakistan army's operations against Balochistan, recently attacking the Balochistan province's Tirah valley, which killed more than 20 civilians, including children.
The Baloch Republican Party (BRM) had earlier claimed that the Frontier Corps (FC) is backing an armed group known as the "Death Squad" to forcibly occupy the ancestral lands of the late tribal leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti.
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor