UN, EU strongly condemn terror attack on police center in Pakistan

The United Nations family in Pakistan on Tuesday strongly condemned an attack on a police training academy which targeted recruits and security personnel in the country's southwest city of Quetta.

Officials here said 60 people had been killed and 117 others injured in the terrorist attack in the capital city of Balochistan Province.

"We express our deepest condolences and sympathy to the families of all those who lost their lives or were injured in the brutal terror attack. Our thoughts today are with the Pakistani security forces, the victims and their families, as well as the Pakistani people," the UN mission in Pakistan said.

A splinter group of the Pakistani Taliban and the Islamic State claimed the deadly attack in separate statements. Meanwhile, Pakistani officials in Balochistan earlier blamed the banned sectarian group "Lashkar-e-Jhangvi" for the terrorist attack.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of precious lives in the blast. Such attacks are inhuman and totally unjustifiable. On behalf of the UN System, I offer my heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims," said Angela Kearney, United Nations Pakistan Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator.

Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) also condemned the attack in a statement. "The people of Pakistan are once again in our thoughts following last night's deadly attack on a police training center in Quetta, which has killed at least 60 people and injured many more."

"This attack underlines the continuing threat posed by terrorism and the need for strong international cooperation in the fight against it, in Pakistan, the wider region and beyond," EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini said in a statement.

"As the European Union, we will continue to work closely together with Pakistan to fight the global threat of terrorism," Mogherini said. Endit