Cop martyred, 6 injured in Quetta blast

QUETTA: An Anti-Terrorist Force (ATF) cop was martyred and six others injured, three of them seriously, in a bomb blast near their vehicle in the Brewery Road area late on Saturday evening.

Officials said the ATF men were patrolling when a powerful explosion took place near their van at Kirani Cross of the Brewery Road. As a result, seven ATF personnel were injured. Police rushed to the site and cordoned off the area and shifted the injured to the Bolan Medical Hospital Complex where a cop was martyred after he had received multiple splinters. “We have received seven injured security personnel,” Dr Sultan Ahmed Lehri said, adding that ATF soldier identified as Muhammad Dilbar lost his life due to serious injuries. “The condition of three men is serious,” he said. Police said it was a roadside bomb attack. “An improvised explosive device (IED) was planted on the roadside, which detonated when the ATF mobile van passed by,” police said, adding that it seemed that the IED was detonated with remote control. Five out of the six injured were identified as driver Saleem, Abdul Wajid, Abdul Malik, Haq Dad and Muhammad Khalid.