Shah Norani shrine blast: RAW-NDS active against CPEC
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QUETTA, Nov 12 (APP): Shah Norani Shrine blast initial investigations have revealed that it was a suicide blast carried out in response to the killing of the Jindullah commander yesterday in the same area.
Provincial Home Minister has hinted at involvement of the RAW-NDS nexus in the suicide blast.
The modus operandi and the attack peculiarities resemble the same pattern adopted by the RAW-NDS operatives trained in Afghanistan.
Today is the opening ceremony of the Gwadar Port by the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as the CPEC project is being operationalised.
Chinese ship has already docked at the Gwadar port and first shipment of the CPEC goods from China have reached Gwadar Port to be exported to middle east and Africa via Pakistan.
Initial reports reveal that att least 45 persons, including women and children, were killed and over 100 injured in a bomb blast at the courtyard of Shah Norani shrine located in the mountainous area of Balochistan on Saturday evening.
Provincial Home Minister, Mir Sarfaraz Bugti confirmed that Shah Norani explosion claimed 43 lives. However, hospital sources at Jam Ghulam Qadir Civil Hospital industrial town of Hub reported 45 dead and over 100 injured.
"At least 45 bodies and over 100 injured including women and children were brought at the hospital," they said.
Incharge Eidhi Ambulance Hub, Dr. Hukam Lasi said 50 Eidhi ambulances took part in the rescue operation, adding condition of several injured was very serious. "Several injured have been transported to Karachi from Hub due to their critical condition.
He said the dead and the injured were transported in private and Levies Force vehicles to hospitals in Hub and Karachi.
Commissioner Kalat Division, Muhammad Hashim Ghalzai said Levies Force reported him that a 14 to 16-years-old boy exploded himself while participating in Dhamal.
"According to Levies Force, it was a suicide blast as a boy aged between 14 to 16 years carried out suicide blast when the visitors were engaged in Dhamal," he said.
He said ambulances were dispatched from Khuzdar while the Civil Hospital Khuzdar was put on alert.
According to Balochistan Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti, the explosion took place when the visitors were engaged in "Dhamal", a traditional folk dance.
He said ambulances and rescue teams from Lasbela and Hub rushed to Shah Norani. "It takes some three hours from Hub to reach the Shah Noorani shrine, which is located in difficult mountainous area, where mobile phone service also does not work," he added.
He said helicopter ambulance could not be used because of darkness.
Shrine's caretaker (Khlifa) Nawaz Ali said usually 1,000 to 1,500 people visited Shah Norani shrine on Saturdays to witness traditional "Dhamal" dance.
Federal Minister for Port and Shipping, Mir Hasil Khan Bezenjo said terrorists targeted Shah Norani shrine after a chief of banned militant organization was killed in gun battle took place in Hub last day.
He said Balochistan had been facing challenge of terrorism. "Security operation against terrorists continues in Balochistan and Shah Norani blast is a reaction of it," he said.
Chief Minister Balochistan, Nawab Sanaullah Khan Zehri strongly condemned the Shah Norani blast and ordered the officials to use all available resources in rescue operation.
He affirmed that his government would continue action against terrorists to rid Balochistan of terrorism.
Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) officials said emergency had been declared at Combined Military Hospitals.
A spokesman for Frontier Corps Balochistan told APP that FC had been fully participating in rescue operation. "FC personnel along with ambulance have reached Shah Norani and they have been shifting dead and injured to hospitals," he added.
