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Cops among 32 martyred, scores injured in suicide blast near polling station in Quetta

July 25, 2018

QUETTA, July 25 (INP): At least 32 people including five police personnel were martyred and scores others injured when a suicide bomber blew himself near a Tameer-i-Nau polling station on East Bypass in Bhosa Mandi in provincial capital Quetta on Wednesday. According to details, the attacker targeted the convoy of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Abdul Razzaq Cheema in Quetta who remained unhurt in the attack. DIG Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) confirmed that Investigation Officer Riaz Notkani and Station House Officer (SHO) Muhammad Hameed among 32 people were martyred in the attack. A local administration official in Quetta, Hashim Ghilzai said that the suicide bomber was trying to enter the polling station and when police tried to stop him, he blew himself up. Spokesman Civil Hospital Quetta, Dr Wasim Baig said the death toll had risen to 32 after two people succumbed to their injuries. Security forces cordoned off the entire area of the incident. Police confirmed the attack was a suicide blast and Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) said that 18 to 20 kilograms of explosive was used and the age of the suicide bomber could not be ascertained. Polling resumed under the supervision of police, Frontier Corps and Pakistan Army in PB-31 constituency after the blast. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) while condemning the attack has summoned report from Balochistan government. An earlier attack in Balochistan on Wednesday left one policeman dead and three wounded when a hand grenade was thrown at a polling station in the village of Koshk, in Khuzdar district.