4 policemen killed, 11 injured in blast in Pakistan
Karachi:A powerful remote-controlled bomb blast near a mosque in Pakistan's Balochistan province has killed four policemen and injured 11 others, the second major attack to rock the restive region in the last three days.
The explosion occurred on Monday night when people were assembling for prayers near the mosque in the provincial capital Quetta's Satellite Town area.
The attack took place shortly after a police van arrived at the site to provide security to the people offering prayers at the mosque.
"The police vehicle carrying personnel for mosque security was targeted in the blast in which our four personnel of Rapid Response Group (RRG) lost their lives, while the condition of another was stated to be serious," said Quetta Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Razzaq Cheema.
Another 11 people were injured in the attack, Provincial Home Minister Ziaullah Langov said. This was the second major terrorist attack in Balochistan within the last three days.
Three heavily-armed militants on Saturday stormed a luxury hotel in Pakistan's port city of Gwadar in the restive Balochistan province, killing eight persons, including a Pakistan Navy soldier and three militants.
An improvised explosive device planted in a motorcycle went off close to the police van. Sources said unidentified people parked the explosive-laden motorbike near the mosque in Satellite Town area and detonated it by remote control when the police van arrived there, the Dawn reported.
"Three police officials among the injured died soon after being brought here at the hospital," officials at a healthcare facility said.
Many vehicles parked in the area were damaged and windowpanes of nearby buildings were shattered due to the powerful blast, though the mosque remained safe in the attack.
Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to trace those involved in the blast.
The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan has claimed responsibility for the motorcycle bomb blast targeting the police vehicle, the report said.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has strongly condemned the targeted attack. Khan has sought a report on the blast and said the country was fully committed to completely eliminating terrorism.
The prime minister said those who target innocent people in the holy month of Ramazan did not have a religion.
The nation's spirit is strong and Pakistan is determined to do away with the menace of terrorism, he said. Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan has also condemned the attack.
"Efforts are being made to sabotage peace under a wicked conspiracy. Those creating instability would be fought back with full force," he said.
Vowing to improve the security arrangements, the chief minister also directed the concerned authorities to provide the best medical facilities to the wounded persons.
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After arriving from Delhi, Shinde heads to his native village; Mahayuti meet likely on Sun
Mumbai(PTI): Outgoing Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who returned to Mumbai from New Delhi on Friday morning, is travelling to his native village in Satara district amid continuing suspense over his successor a week after the assembly poll results.
Shinde had told reporters in New Delhi on late Thursday night that the next meeting of the Mahayuti alliance on government formation will be held in Mumbai on Friday.
However, the caretaker CM, who heads the Shiv Sena, is travelling to his native village Dare in Satara district in western Maharashtra and the meeting is now expected to take place on Sunday, the sources said.
The Shiv Sena leader has repeatedly said he would not be an obstacle in the government formation and abide by the decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the next chief minister.
Different viewpoints are emerging in the Shiv Sena over Shinde's place in the next government to be headed by the BJP, the biggest constituent in the Mahayuti, which posted a thumping win in the just-held assembly polls.
Many leaders in the Shiv Sena are asking Shinde to accept deputy CM's post if offered by the BJP. However, another section feels it wouldn't be right for him to accept No. 2 position after serving as CM for more than two-and-a-half years, the sources said.
"The government formation process will start after the BJP announces its legislature party leader," they said.
During his Delhi trip, Shinde had met Shah and discussed formation of the next government in the state. His deputies in the outgoing state cabinet Devendra Fadnavis (BJP) and Ajit Pawar (NCP) had also met the senior BJP leader.
Talking to reporters in the national capital, Shinde called the discussion “good and positive”.
Shinde, Fadnavis and Pawar had also met BJP president J P Nadda.
