Five soldiers were martyred and at least a dozen others injured as four separate blasts hit Balochistan — two in Quetta and one each in Turtbat and Kohlu district — officials said on Sunday.
As per details, five Pakistan Army personnel were martyred in a blast on Sunday from an improvised explosive device (IED) during a clearance operation in Balochistan’s Kahan area, the military’s media wing confirmed.
A press release from the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the operation was underway since Saturday when the IED exploded close to the leading party.
As a result, five soldiers — Captain Fahad, Lance Naik Imtiaz, Sepoy Asghar, Sepoy Mehran and Sepoy Shamoon — embraced martyrdom, the military’s media wing said.
The ISPR said that a sanitization operation was underway in the area to apprehend the perpetrators.
“Such cowardly acts by inimical elements cannot sabotage the hard-earned peace and prosperity in Balochistan.
“Security forces remain determined to challenge their nefarious designs, even at the cost of blood and lives,” the ISPR said.
Meanwhile, at least four people including a woman were injured by a grenade explosion on Quetta’s Sabzal Road on Sunday, according to a statement made by Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo.
Police and rescue teams arrived at the scene soon after the incident. The injured were shifted to the Civil Hospital, Quetta. Meanwhile, the police and Frontier Corps (FC) cordoned off the area and started a search operation.
CM Bizenjo denounced the act and gave the provincial police chief instructions to strengthen security measures in the city.
Balochistan Health Department media coordinator Dr Waseem Baig later confirmed in a media talk that four people had sustained injuries in the incident. According to media reports the condition of one of the injured persons was critical.
In his statement, the CM also directed police to continue intelligence-based operations against terrorists and “leave no stone unturned in taking the enemies of peace to task”.
He further instructed to provide best medical facilities to the injured.
