Three police officials have been martyred, and at least 16 others have been wounded on Tuesday morning in a blast targeting a vehicle of the Balochistan Constabulary (FC) in Balochistan's Mastung district. 

 

In a statement, spokesperson of the Balochistan government Shahid Rind stated that a vehicle carrying policemen was targeted with an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) when they were returning from Kalat.

 

“Three jawaan (personnel) of the Balochistan Constabulary were martyred in the blast,” the spokesperson confirmed, adding that 16 others were injured due to the blast, out of whom two were in a serious condition.

 

Rind stated that all injured cops have been shifted to a hospital, while those seriously injured were being taken to Quetta, about 50 kilometres away from Mastung. He added that an investigation report on the incident has been sought.

 

The FC officials were deployed at a sit-in by the Balochistan National Party Mengal (BNP-M), the spokesperson said.

 

Mastung Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Younas Magsi, however, put the number of injured people at 18. 

 

Magsi said that the policemen were stationed as part of additional deployment with Levies in Mastung’s Kund Mas area, adding that more than 40 cops were returning from duty today when the police vehicle carrying them was targeted.

 

“On a daily basis, our policemen used to return to Mastung Police Lines after performing their duties," the DSP said.

 

Chief Minister (CM) Balochistan Sarfraz Bugti strongly condemned the blast, directing Health Minister Bakht Kakar to ensure that the injured were provided with the best medical treatment. “No negligence will be tolerated in the treatment of the injured,” Bugti said.

 

He affirmed that the provincial government stood with the martyrs. "The elements involved in the incident do not deserve any concession," he asserted.

 

The incident happened a day after the FC checkpoint in the Galangoor area of Noshki came under attack. During the gun battle, an FC soldier embraced martyrdom.

 

As per media reports, armed militants used automatic weapons to attack the Levies post. However, the Levies personnel deployed at the post swiftly took strategic positions on the nearby mountain and returned fire.

 

“Due to their [security personnel’s] advantageous position, the terrorists couldn’t reach them, and the attack was effectively foiled,” Dawn News quoted a senior official of the Balochistan Levies as saying. 

 

The FC troops deployed at the post returned fire, and in the ensuing exchange of fire, two terrorists were killed, a senior official of the Noshki administration said.