At least 20 killed, 30 others injured in suicide bombing targeting shrine in Balochistan

Balochistan, October 6: Neither Pakistani security forces or terrorists will never ever let Baluch people leave peacefully. At least 20 innocent civilians, including a police constable and three children, were killed and over 30 others were injured after a suicide bombing hit a Dargah in Fatehpur, of Jhal Magsi district of Balochistan on Thursday.

 

As soon as the suicide bomber detonated himself, ambulances were rushed to the spot and injured were shifted to Gandawah Hospital. According to the hospital sources, the death toll may rise as many patients are critical. The explosion took place at the entrance to the dargah of Pir Rakhel Shah, at a time when scores of people had gathered to pay their respects.

District Police Officer Mohammad Iqbal said the bomber had tried to enter the shrine but a security guard stopped him, after which the attacker detonated his explosives. The explosion took place when the dhamaal, a devotional dance performed at shrines was being performed after evening prayers.

Meanwhile, Balochistan Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said that "if the attacker had managed to enter the dargah, the death toll would have been much higher."However, the attack happened hours after the chief of the military's media wing highlighted the army's efforts in combating terrorism across the country and brought up the role of non-state actors that the army believes are being sponsored by enemy spy agencies.

Interestingly, this was the second deadly attack on a shrine in Pakistan in 2017. In the month of February this year, a suicide bomber had killed more than 80 people and injured more than 250 in an attack targeting the busy Lal Shahbaz Qalandar shrine in Sehwan, Sindh.