Quetta [Pakistan], September 14 : Two policemen were killed, and another injured in a bomb blast aimed at officials in Kuchlak town near Quetta on Saturday, according to police sources.
Quetta's Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Azhar Rashid spoke to the media, stating that the explosives were pre-planted at the site and detonated as the police vehicle reached the location, Dawn reported.
He said, "Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Zainuddin and gunman Mohammad Tahir embraced martyrdom whereas the driver got injured and was moved to Mufti Mehmood Memorial Hospital."
The driver, after receiving medical treatment, was later transferred to a trauma centre in Quetta, DSP Rashid added.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti condemned the incident, paying homage to the fallen officials and offering his condolences to their families.
Bugti in a press release stated, "The eternal sacrifices of Balochistan Police, levies and security forces against terrorism cannot be neglected," while also pledging that the government would not rest until terrorists and their collaborators were wiped out.
He further emphasised that "the entire country is standing alongside the brave forces in the war against terrorism."
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also paid tribute to the two officers who were martyred, offering heartfelt sympathies and condolences to their families, reported Dawn.
Naqvi prayed for the injured driver's quick recovery and honoured the sacrifice made. He remarked, "Balochistan Police has made eternal sacrifices in the war against terrorism," according to a statement from his office.
He reiterated that the determination to fight terrorism remains undeterred. "This war is the entire country's war and, with the support of the people, will continue until the end of the last terrorist and facilitator," Naqvi added.
Pakistan witnessed a surge in terrorist attacks in August, with 59 incidents reported nationwide compared to 38 in July, as per data from the Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS), an Islamabad-based think tank, as per the report by Dawn.
In a recent wave of violence, militants associated with the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) launched multiple attacks across Balochistan on the night of August 25, targeting both security personnel and civilians.
The attacks claimed the lives of at least 50 individuals, including 14 security officials. The militants caused havoc across the province, attacking police stations, blowing up railway tracks, and setting fire to nearly three dozen vehicles. Security forces responded, neutralizing 21 militants.
Among the deceased were 23 people in Musakhail, mostly labourers from Punjab, who were taken off trucks and vans, then killed after their identities were confirmed.
In response to these attacks, Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir vowed that the fight against terrorism would persist "until the elimination of all terrorists."
He declared, "To fight for the cause of Pakistan, the security forces, along with the law enforcement agencies, and the brave people of Pakistan especially the brave people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have made unprecedented sacrifices."
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