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5 killed in suicide attack at pilgrims’ bus in SW Pakistan

18 September 2012 17:22 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. At least five people were killed and 13 others got injured on Tuesday evening following a suicide bomb blast targeted a passenger bus in Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan, said official and local media, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

According to the official, the suicide bomber rammed his explosive laden vehicle into the bus, which was coming from Iran to Quetta carrying around 30 Shia Muslim pilgrims, at the Quetta- Tuftan road in Mastung district near the provincial capital of Quetta.

The suicide bomb blast killed three people on the spot while injuring 15 others including women and children.

The bus caught fire and was burnt completely before fire fighters reached the site.

Police and rescuers shifted the injured to the Bolan Medical Complex hospital in Quetta where two of them succumbed to injuries, increasing death toll to five.

Deputy Commissioner Irfan Shah Gharsheen of Mastung district confirmed that it was a suicide attack and three security personnel were also injured while providing security to these pilgrims.

No group or organization has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

In Mastung district, several people, particularly the Shia community, have been targeted in the past. Last week in the Dasht area of Mastung, at least 10 laborers were shot dead and four others were injured when unknown militants sprayed bullets at them after lining them up.