Blast Rips Mob: 45 Killed, Many Injured in SW Pakistan  
By Shakeel Tariq - Pakistan Times Staff Correspondent

QUETTA: A powerful bomb exploded on Saturday night at a gathering in a remote district in Balochistan, killing at least 45 people and wounding several others.

The bomb exploded outside the shrine of a saint, Pir Rakhel Shah, at Darbar Fateh Pur in Gandhawa town of district Jhal Magsi. Thousands of worshippers had congregated at the shrine of the saint near the town of Naseerabad, when the bomb went off outside.

The explosion happened at around 22:30 PST [17:30 GMT] in the remote town of Fatahpur, around 300 kilometres (180 miles) from Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province, officials said.

Balochistan Liberation Army’s spokesman Daura Khan Baloch has accepted the responsibility of the blast by satellite phone, reports a news agency.

Police have cordoned off the area and started investigations.

People were found wailing and crying on the place of incident. Some of them also blocked roads in anger. Some of the bodies and the injured, some in critical condition, were transported to a nearby hospital.

In-depth

An update report says that between 10,000 and 20,000 had gathered for an annual pilgrimage at the shrine and many were having their evening meals when the bomb went off, said Syed Kamal Shah, the cousin of the shrine’s custodian.

He told journalists by phone that the death toll might rise to 100. He said body parts of the dead were lying scattered at the explosion site, where no adequate medical facility is available.

"I saw 25 bodies myself. People were crying and there were pools of blood," Moahammad Amin Umrani, the mayor of neighbouring Naseerabad, told reporters by telephone.

People Flee

Meanwhile, hundreds of people fled their homes in a remote Balochistan town on Saturday, fearing renewed clashes after a tribal chief warned them to take care of their safety, officials said.

Balochistan’s provincial government’s spokesman Raziq Bugti said the exodus was sparked in the town of Dera Bugti, 245 kilometres southeast of Quetta, after Nawab Akbar Bugti told officials and paramilitary forces to leave.

“Hundreds of government officials have left their homes with their families,” he said. He said Bugti had also set a deadline of 3:00 pm [10:00 GMT] Saturday for everyone to depart.

Security on High-alert

The deadline came as security forces went on high-alert to deal with any untoward situation in the area where fierce gun battles between tribals and troops have killed at least 30 people and wounded more than 70.

The whereabouts of Nawab Akbar Bugti was unknown, however, district administrator Abdul Samad Lasi said 90 percent of the Dera Bugti population had left town.

PM Shaukat Warns

“There is a cease-fire at the moment in the area,” Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on national television. “If someone attacked the security forces appropriate action will be taken.”

And, earlier while talking to media persons in Lahore on Saturday, the Premier said that the government aspires for a fine but politically durable solution to law and order problems in Balochistan province yet warned retaliatory action to any assault if made on law-enforcing agencies.

He said peace and quite was now prevalent for last two days in the province where eight persons were martyred in an attack on Frontier Corpse troops.

“Balochistan security committee is reviewing current situation in the area and parliament members and journalists would be sent to tour the area as soon as situation improves”, he said.

Doors of Dialogue

He said the doors of dialogue are open on the Balochistan issue however, all necessary steps will be taken to ensure law and order, security and the writ of the government in the province.

The Prime Minister said presently there is a ceasefire in the area and no action is taking place there. He said if someone attacks innocent civilians, measures against such attacks would be taken.

He said the government has decided to hold meetings of the Balochistan Committee on a daily basis from tomorrow, Monday.

Shaukat Aziz hoped that a durable and positive solution of the Balochistan problem would be reached at the earliest to make the lives of the Balochs easier and prosperous.

Of foreign hand

The government on Saturday said it cannot rule out foreign hand in the continuing armed clashes between Bugtis and paramilitary forces given the magnitude of rockets being fired at FC troops and vowed to establish its writ without conducting army operation.

Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao, who came up with official figures of casualties to contradict the number of heavy toll being claimed by the Bugti tribe on the third day of gun-battle, told a press briefing that the law enforcement agencies will forcefully retaliate to curb the tribal resistance launched to derail the political process initiated by the government.

Terming the casualty figures described by tribesmen as ‘exaggerated’ and ‘baseless’, Sherpao said 21 civilians including two Hindus have been killed in the first three-day firing whereas 34 have been injured, contrary to the claims of tribal leader Nawab Akbar Bugti who put the figure of killed at 60 with 150 injured. While eight FC men got killed and 23 injured, he said.

Recap

The fighting was initiated by Bugti tribes who have established out-posts around Dera Bugti where they interrupted the FC convoy comprising five vehicles which was escorting the District Coordination Officer on his way to Sui, he added.

Sherpao said, the security officials when got down of the vehicle to inquire about the reason of stopping them, the tribesmen opened fire at them, forcing the FC men to retaliate.

He termed it a great misconception being spread by different quarters that it was FC which took initiative in opening the fire. He was of the view that had it been the plan of security officials they would not have been carrying only 48 men to wage a fight at a place with thick presence of armed tribes, who also harbor rockets in heavy magnitude.

Sherpao also dispelled the impression that Hindus were killed by FC men and said the unguided rocket when fired upon by Bugti, fell upon the temple leaving two worshippers dead.

The Minister said according to the latest situation, Akbar Bugti gave the ultimatum to all civilians living in the area and around and government servants to vacate the place by 3:00 pm Saturday. He said though he did know the status of this ultimatum, but law enforcement agencies would effectively encounter such moves and establish the writ of the government in Dera Bugti.

The Minister said upon receiving the command of Nawab Bugti, his men had started digging posts around Dera Bugti, (more than 150 people were seen doing this job), in order to block all the roads leading to the place of scuffle. He said the aim of this exercise was to isolate the FC troops and to hinder the further reinforcement being sent to them.

Serious Development

Sherpao called it a serious development that was indicative of 'nefarious designs' of Akbar Bugti, and warned at the same time that no one will be allowed to take law into one’s hands.

He said all vital installations would be protected at any cost and the development work including the mega projects would continue unhindered.

Sherpao told a questioner that FC troops had been relieved from gas installations to send them to Dera Bugti, whereas the army had been deployed at their place to protect the gas pipelines.

He categorically denied any plan of the government to conduct army operation in Balochistan and said the paramilitary forces were able enough to cope with the situation.

To a question about the involvement of external factors in recent uprising, he said given the magnitude of weapons the government could not rule out foreign hand.

He said Bugti tribe has fired 200 rockets upon the FC troops including 107 flight rocket and the presence of this sort of ammunition in heavy amount raises many questions.●