Blast targets Serena hotel Quetta, 4 dead 11 injured
Manan Mandokhail, Staff Reporter
A blast has targeted Serena hotel Quetta on Wednesday night. Police sources said 4 people have been killed and 11 injured in the blast that rocked the provincial capital of Balochistan province. “The blast happened in the parking of the hotel”, Balochistan police chief, Muhammad Tahir Rai said. He added that the hotel premises has been cordoned off and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) has been deployed to investigate the incident.
Enemies trying to create unrest: Langove
Home Minister Balochistan, Ziaullah Langove said enemies of the country were trying to create unrest through such terrorist activities. “There was no foreign delegation inside the hotel at the time of the blast”, Mr. Langove said. “Track record shows foreign involvement in such terror incidents”, the Minister said. He informed that one police constable was also among the martyred people in the blast.
The police investigation team and other high-level security officials visited the spot and collected evidence. Security officials put a codon of the area to probe into the bombing.
Blast rocks entire city
The blast was heard far and wide causing panic in the city. Police and personnel of frontier corps were quick at the scene. Rescue workers shifted the injured to the nearby civil hospital for medical treatment, Aziz Ahmed Jamali, the Chief of Medical Emergency Response Center (MERC) told Quetta Voice. He said two assistant commissioners are also among the injured. “MERC workers were quick at the scene to shift the injured”, Mr. Jamali said.
The blast caused panic among the citizens
“There was no Chinese delegation inside the hotel at the time of the blast”, Muhammad Azhar Akram, the Deputy Police Chief of Quetta said. The blast also damaged over a dozen vehicles parked in the parking area, he informed.
Waseem Baig, the spokesperson of the civil hospital said 11 injured of the blast brought to the hospital. Two of them are in serious condition, he mentioned.
The blast was heard far and wide in the city. DIG Police said an emergency imposed in the hospital to treat the injured of the blast. “We are investigating into the incident”, he said. He said no delegation was inside the hotel at the time of the blast.
Chief Minister Balochistan, Jam Kamal Khan has strongly condemned the blast and termed it a coward act. “We will bring the perpetrators of the blast”, Jam Kamal stated.
“Blast rocked the entire hotel”, an employee of the hotel told Quetta Voice.
Flames of fire could be seen from quite far away.
Explosive materials planted in a vehicle
Bomb disposal squad said the terrorists had planted explosive materials in a vehicle parked inside the parking of the hotel. 40 to 50kgs of explosives used in the attack, the official who requested anonymity told.
Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the interior ministry is in close contact with the Balochistan government and that initial investigations are underway. “The government will issue a statement as soon as the nature of the blast and losses are determined,” he added.
Senator Sarfaraz Bugti of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) termed it a cowardly attack. “Terrorists have sympathy with people even during the holy month of Ramazan ul Mubarak”, Mr. Bugti said.
Security tightened after the blast
Overall security has been tightened in and around Quetta in the aftermath of the bombing. Police and frontier corps patrolling increased after the terrorist attack. Security tightened at all exit and entry points in the provincial capital.
Blast targets Serena hotel Quetta, 4 dead 11 injured
