ISLAMABAD, Apr 22 (NNN-APP) – Four people were killed and over a dozen others injured, when an explosive-laden vehicle, exploded inside the parking lot of Serena hotel in Quetta, capital city of Pakistan’s south-west Balochistan province, last night, the country’s Interior Minister, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad, said.
There was a threat alert in Quetta and other major cities, after some suspicious calls were intercepted, and security was on high alert, including cities in Balochistan, Rasheed said.
He said, despite security measures, the vehicle, carrying explosives, managed to enter the parking lot from the main gate of the hotel, which is a matter of big concern and responsible people will be taken to task for creating security lapse, which gave terrorists a chance to carry out attack.
Chief Minister of Balochistan, Jam Kamal, hinted at involvement of some “foreign hand” in the attack and said that, the elements which do not want to see Pakistan prosper, are in search of a loophole in the security of the province, and launch attacks when they succeed in finding any.
Proscribed organisation, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, claimed the attack in a message to journalists, saying, a suicide bomber launched the attack targeting locals and foreigners, but the claim has not yet been officially confirmed.
The injured were shifted to Civil Hospital, whose spokesman, Waseem Baig, said, two of the injured are in critical condition, and a state of emergency has been declared at the hospital, by the provincial government.
Intelligence sources from Quetta said, on condition of anonymity, that one security guard was killed and two policemen were injured in the attack.
Soon after the blast, the hotel’s parking area was sealed by the counter terrorism department, who also restricted media to access the site to report, Inspector General Police Balochistan, Muhammad Tahir Rai, said.
Home minister of Balochistan told media that a bomb disposal squad reached the blast site to investigate into the incident, and according to initial investigation, some 40 kg of explosives were used in the attack.
Fire erupted in several vehicles following the blast, badly destroying five to seven of them, he added.
Intelligence sources, who were close to the hotel when the incident happened, said, loud blast was heard many miles away from the blast site and fire erupted in the hotel’s parking lot following the explosion.
Security has been beefed up in other cities, including Islamabad, following the blast and all sensitive government buildings and installations are being guarded, according to local reports.– NNN-APP
