By Staff Reporter
QUETTA: A suspected suicide bombing tore through a crowded parking area near Shahwani Stadium on Quetta’s Sariab Road late Tuesday, killing at least 13 people and injuring several others, hospital officials and police said.
The explosion, which occurred shortly after a public meeting organized by the Balochistan National Party (BNP-Mengal), underscored the persistent threat of terrorism in Pakistan’s volatile Balochistan province.
The blast struck around 15 minutes after the conclusion of a gathering held to commemorate the death anniversary of Sardar Attaullah Mengal, a revered Baloch leader and founder of the BNP. The attack left several of the wounded in critical condition, deepening fears of a rising death toll as hospitals scrambled to treat the injured.
“We have confirmed 13 deaths, with several more injured,” said Dr. Hadi Kakar, medical superintendent of Civil Hospital Quetta. “Five of the injured are in critical condition.”
A spokesperson for the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) described the explosion as “apparently a suicide blast,” noting that investigators were collecting evidence from the scene. Authorities confirmed that the bomber detonated an explosives-laden jacket in the stadium’s parking area as participants dispersed from the event. The attack occurred in a busy district of Quetta, the provincial capital, where prominent political figures had gathered.
BNP President and Member of the National Assembly Sardar Akhtar Mengal, who presided over the meeting, escaped unharmed as he was leaving for home. Other leaders present, including Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Asghar Khan Achakzai of the Awami National Party, and former senator Mir Kabeer Muhammad Shai of the National Party, also emerged unscathed.
Shai survived the blast while inside his bulletproof vehicle, which was among six vehicles, including other bulletproof cars belonging to politicians, damaged in the explosion. However, the attack left several party workers and supporters wounded, including former BNP lawmaker Mir Ahmed Nawaz Baloch and the party’s central labor secretary, Musa Jan. “
The blast took place in the parking area of the stadium,” said Sajid Tareen, BNP’s senior vice president, adding that Mengal was still present at the time but later reached home safely.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti condemned the attack in a late-night statement, calling it a “cowardly attack on innocent people.” He vowed to pursue those responsible, declaring, “We will crush their nefarious designs.” Bugti described the perpetrators as “enemies of humanity” who sought to spread fear by targeting civilians. He ordered hospitals to provide the best possible treatment to the injured and warned medical staff that “no negligence will be tolerated.” The chief minister also announced a high-level inquiry into the incident, with a committee tasked to deliver findings swiftly. “Violence will not be allowed to derail peace in Balochistan,” Bugti said, emphasizing that protecting lives and property was the government’s top priority. He added that federal and provincial authorities would collaborate to ensure citizen safety.
The Balochistan Home Department echoed Bugti’s resolve, stating that a high-level investigation was underway and that evidence had been collected from the site. The department assured that the injured were receiving the best possible medical care.
The deceased were identified as Muhammad Ishaq, Najeebullah, Shan, Muhammad Hanif, Madad Khan, Waqir Ahmed, Hafeez, Abdul Nabi, Nasarullah, Allah Bakhsh, Najeebullah (son of Asadullah), Allah Bakhsh, and Muhammad Waqar.
The attack adds to a grim tally of violence in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, which have seen a surge in terrorist activities since 2021. A June report by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), an Islamabad-based think tank, documented 78 terrorist attacks across the country that month alone, resulting in at least 100 deaths, including 53 security personnel, 39 civilians, six militants, and two members of local peace committees. The report noted 189 injuries, with 126 security personnel and 63 civilians affected.
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