QUETTA: Four members of a Christian family and five others lost their livesin separate incidents in the city on Monday, showing an uptick in violencethat authorities appeared to be powerless to control.
While the Christian family, who belonged to Punjab and had come to Quettato see relatives, fell victim to a targeted attack, the cause of the deathof others was said to be a tribal feud.
Police officials said five members of the Christian family were travellingin an auto-rickshaw when gunmen on two motorcycles opened fire on them andfled.
According to AP, the militant Islamic State group claimed responsibilityfor the attack on the Christian family in a statement carried by its Aamaqnews.
Militant Islamic State group claims responsibility for attack
Among the four killed was a woman and two brothers. A 12-year-old girl, thedaughter of one of the deceased, suffered injuries. She was admitted to thetrauma centre of the Civil Hospital Quetta.
Sources said all the four were hit by bullets in the head and upper partsof the body.
Quoting a witness, an officer said the assailants sprayed bullets on therickshaw from two sides.
The bodies and the injured were shifted to hospital by personnel of thepolice and paramilitary Frontier Corps.
The deceased were identified as Imran Masih, Tariq Masih, Pervez Masih andFirdus Bibi.
The injured girl was identified as Sehar Pervez.