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QUETTA: At least four people, including two private security guards, were killed and 12 others were injured in a bomb blast in the parking lot of the Serena Hotel here on Wednesday evening.
Among the injured are two deputy commissioners who were immediately transferred to the civilian hospital with other injured. Hotel officials said all guests staying at the hotel were safe. However, they added, some hotel workers were missing.
Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the blast as its spokesperson said: “Our suicide bomber used his car loaded with explosives for the blast.”
Police said the initial investigation revealed that an explosive device had been placed in a car parked in the hotel parking lot.
Taliban claim suicide bomber carried out attack
After the explosion, several vehicles caught fire and at least seven cars were destroyed. The windows of the nearby Assembly of Balochistan, the High Court of Balochistan and other buildings were shattered due to the impact of the explosion.
Firefighters immediately reached the hotel and brought the blaze under control after an hour of effort.
Speaking to media that the Chinese ambassador was the apparent target of the attack, Home Secretary Ziaullah Langove said the ambassador was not present at the hotel when the blast went off. is produced.
“I just met the Chinese ambassador and he is in a good mood,” he said, adding that an investigation would determine the target.
Speaking to reporters, the Deputy Inspector General of Police in Quetta said: “We are investigating the nature of the explosion. The Bomb Disposal Squad and the Counter-Terrorism Department have sealed the site of the explosion for investigation and are collecting evidence. “
One of the dead has been identified as Asadullah Khan.
The injured included Ejaz Ahmed, Bilal Shabbir, Attaullah, Raja Tahir, Irfan Ahmed, Abdul Hameed, Mohammad Noor, Wazir Ahmed, Bilal Qadir, Khuda Bakhsh and Muzamil Khan.
Posted in Dawn, April 22, 2021
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