Five killed, 15 injured in Mosque bombing in southwest Pakistan
Karachi, Aug 16: A powerful bomb ripped through a mosque during Friday prayers in Pakistan's Balochistan province, killing at least five persons and injuring 15 others, police said.
The blast occurred at a mosque in Quetta's Kuchlak area on Friday, The Express Tribune reported.
Officials believe the blast was carried out with an improvised explosive device (IED) that contained around eight to 10 kilograms of explosives which was planted inside the mosque, the report said.
"Five persons were killed and 15 others injured in the attack," a police official said.
A rescue operation is under way and security forces have also cordoned off the area.
Police said the injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment, while emergency has been declared at Civil Hospital Quetta.
Police have cordoned off the area and a bomb disposal squad has been requested.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but Taliban militants and Baloch nationalist often carry out such attacks.
The blast in Kuchlak is the fourth in Balochistan in less than a month's time.
A week before, on July 30, five persons, including two policemen, died when a powerful bomb tore through a police patrol van at a busy roundabout in Quetta.
At least 32 people including Additional SHO Shafaat Ali were also wounded in the attack targeting the police vehicle parked outside the City Police Station at Bacha Khan Chowk.
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Delhi's air quality 'very poor'
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi choked under a thick blanket of smog on Friday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) settling at 332, in the 'very poor' category.
The air quality was 'very poor' at 30 stations while it was 'severe' at one station, Jahangirpuri, which recorded an AQI of 405.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor', and 401 to 500 'severe'.
Delhi's air quality is likely to remain in 'very poor' till Saturday. The outlook for the subsequent six days also states that the air is likely to remain in the very poor band, according to the Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS).
The national capital's air quality settled at 8 degrees Celsius, 0.6 notches below normal, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
The relative humidity was recorded at 100 per cent.
According to the IMD, the maximum temperature during the day is expected to settle at 25 degrees Celsius.
