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2nd LD Writethru: 8 killed, 35 injured as suicide blast hits NW Pakistan

Xinhua, February 6, 2016 Adjust font size:

At least eight people were killed and 35 others injured as a suicide blast hit a security forces' convoy in Pakistan's southwest city of Quetta on Saturday afternoon, said local officials and media.

Ahsan Mehboob, Police Inspector General of Balochistan Province with Quetta as its capital, confirmed that three personnel of paramilitary forces Frontier Corps (FC) were among the eight killed.

Most of the local media reports quoting different sources said 35 people were also injured in the blast and the injured include 10 FC men.

Bomb disposal squad officers said the blast was of suicide nature and an estimated 10 to 15 kg of explosives were used in the bomb.

Eyewitnesses said that the attack took place at about 4:20 p.m. local time when a man rammed his bike into a FC convoy passing by a local court on the Jinnah Road of Quetta city.

All the blast victims have been shifted to the local military and civil hospitals where at least eight injured people are said to be in critical condition.

Both Pakistani president and prime minister have condemned the attack shortly after the blast was reported.

Latest news coming in said Pakistan Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack.

The attack took place at a time when a four-nation talks aimed at bringing the Taliban to the negotiation tables with the Afghan government are being held in the country's capital of Islamabad. Endite