Mastung (Web Desk): At least 52 people died and more than 80 were injured in a blast in Balochistan's Mastung district on Friday.
According to Mastung Assistant Commissioner (AC) Atta Ul Munim, the explosion took place near Madina Masjid at Alfalah Road where people were gathering to mark Eid Miladun Nabi.
The area was cordoned off by law enforcers and rescue personnel shifted the casualties to nearby medical facilities.
Emergency has also been declared in hospitals and staff has been instructed to report to work immediately.
As per the to the district authorities, Mastung's Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nawaz Gashkori is among the deceased.
President Dr Arif Alvi and Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Friday strongly condemned the blast that took place in Mastung, near the Eid Miladun Nabi (PBUH) procession.
Expressing their deep grief over the loss of precious lives, they sympathised with the victims’ families.
The president and prime minister prayed to Allah Almighty for peace of the departed souls and strength for the bereaved families to bear the loss with fortitude.
Praying for the early recovery of the injured, they directed the authorities concerned to provide the best possible medical facilities to them.
Prime Minister Kakar reiterated that the government was fully resolved to eliminate terrorism from the country.
Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti Friday strongly condemned the blast near Madina Masjid in Mastung and expressed deep sorrow and regret over the loss of precious lives.
He said that the attack on innocent people who came to participate in the procession of Eid Milad-ul-Nabi was a heinous act.
“Terrorists have no religion,” said Sarfraz Bugti.
“All resources will be utilized in rescue and relief operations,” he said. He said that no effort would be spared in treating the injured.
The minister further said, “The terrorist elements do not deserve any concession and the government is following zero tolerance policy to deal with terrorists.”
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Ali Mardan Khan Domki, strongly condemning the blast has announced three days mourning in the province.
In a statement, he directed the authorities concerned to provide better health facilities to injured people.
Meanwhile, former premier and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif said he was “deeply saddened by the cowardly attack on innocent people” and that such heinous acts had “no place in our country”. “May justice be swift for those responsible,” he added.
Former President Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also condemned the blast in Mastung and expressed grief over the loss of innocent lives.
In their separate messages, Bilawal and Asif Zardari expressed sympathy and condolence to the families of the martyrs who lost their lives in the incident and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
"Killing innocent people is a heinous incident of terrorism. The perpetrators of the blast should be sentenced with severe punishment," Bilawal Bhutto said.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) also condemned the incident and demanded that the injured be provided with quality treatment facilities.
In a post on its official page on X (formerly Twitter), the PTI demanded that the “federal and provincial governments give up political revenge and oppression and fascism against innocent citizens”, and instead “focus on dealing with a real threat like terrorism”.
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan also condemned the incident saying that it was "unacceptable that the residents of Balochistan are compelled to live in constant fear amid deteriorating law and order".
"Those responsible for this heinous attack must be brought to justice. HRCP believes, however, that hyper-securitisation will not resolve the security problem in the province," the rights body stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter).