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At least 70 killed as suicide blast hits hospital in S.W. Pakistan

CCTV.com

08-09-2016 08:34 BJT

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ISLAMABAD, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- At least 70 people were killed and 112 others injured in a suicide blast inside the emergency ward of Civil Hospital in Pakistan's southwestern Quetta city on Monday, hospital sources said.

People transfer an injured man from the blast site in Quetta, Pakistan, on Aug. 8, 2016. (Xinhua/Asad)

People transfer an injured man from the blast site in Quetta, Pakistan, on Aug. 8, 2016. (Xinhua/Asad)

Abdul Rehman, Medical Superintendent (M.S.) Civil Hospital, said the injured people are being treated in three hospitals of Quetta including Civil Hospital, Combined Military Hospital and Bolan medical complex, however, he did not mention the condition of the wounded people.

Previously at least three local TV channels quoted Rehmat Baloch, the health minister of Balochistan province with Quetta as capital city, as saying that the death toll of the blast has risen to 93, as the situation was not clear at that time.

Local media reported that the dead include 25 lawyers and two journalists while there was a large number of lawyers and some journalists in the wounded victims.

Lt. Gen. Asim Bajwa, the Director General (DG) of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani army's media wing, said in a tweet that army will help shifting of seriously injured patients to the hospitals in Karachi, the capital city of neighboring Sindh province.

The M.S. Civil Hospital said 26 of the injured people will be airlifted to hospitals in Karachi.

Local media reported that the army has provided a C-130 to the provincial government to be used as an air ambulance.

Bomb disposal squad said the blast was carried out by a suicide bomber who was hiding an estimated eight to 10 kg of explosive materials in his vest.

The squad said they have found limbs of the bomber, which will be sifted for lab test to help further investigations.

Sanaullah Zehri, Chief Minister of Balochistan, said the blast happened when a large number of lawyers and journalists were gathering in the Civil Hospital Quetta to collect body of the president of Balochistan Bar Association who was killed in a separate attack.

The president Bilal Kasi was killed when some unknown gunmen attacked his vehicle in Manno Jan area of Quetta.

The gunmen fled the scene after the attack.

Media reports said a Taliban-linked group has claimed responsibility.

A heavy contingent of police and paramilitary troops rushed to the blast site and cordoned it off for investigations.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the blast and vowed to root out militancy from the country.

He cancelled his activities in Islamabad and arrived Quetta to visit the injured people.

The PM called a high level meeting to discuss the security situation in the province.

The country's army Chief Raheel Sharif arrived Quetta to ask after the health of the injured people.

The ISPR said the army chief will hold meeting with military and civil leadership about the security situation.

The Balochistan government announced a three-day mourning and the national flag will fly on half-mast during the mourning days in the province.

The government of the country's eastern Punjab province announced one day mourning to show solidarity with the blast victims.

The explosion caused a chain reaction from the circles of lawyers in the country.

Lawyers in Balochistan and the country's southern port city of Karachi boycotted court proceedings.

The Pakistan Bar Association condemned the attack and announced a three-day mourning. 
 

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