20 killed, 32 injured in suicide blast at Jhal Magsi shrine

QUETTA: At least 20 people were killed, including two policemen, and 32 others were injured in a suicide blast at Dargah Fatehpur Sharif near Gandawa area of Jhal Magsi district on Thursday.

According details, a suicide bomber blew himself when a police personnel stopped him from enterance of Shrine gate.

"The suicide bomber struck outside the shrine at a time when it was packed with people, attending anniversary celebrations of Syed Cheesal Shah," said Deputy Commissioner Asadullah Kakar.

The bodies and the injured were shifted to nearby hospitals including Sibi, Nasirabad, and other hospitals.

Law enforcement agencies reached the site and cordoned off the entire area and started investigation.

Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Sanaullah Khan Zehri strongly condemned the incident and directed the officials of health department to provide all facilities to the victims.

Provincial Health Minister Rehmat Saleh Baloch also ordered to impose emergency at districts hospitals including Jhal Magsi, Nasirabad, Jaffarabad, Sibi and other hospitals.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has also condemned the attack on the shrine. He said terrorists have no religion and the killers of Baloch people are enemies of the state. 

The premier added that the state will respond with full force and will not allow terrorists to disturb the peace of the nation. 

Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi have also condemned the blast and expressed heartfelt grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives.

It is to mention here that in February, at least 88 people were killed when a suicide bomber attacked the crowded Sufi shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan, injuring up to 343 others.

In November 2016, at least 52 people including women and children were killed and more than 100 injured in a suicide blast in Shah Noorani shrine near Hub in Balochistan’s Lasbella district.