(Quetta) A powerful bomb exploded Friday near a mosque during a gathering celebrating the birthday of Islam’s prophet Muhammad in southwest Pakistan, killing at least 52 people and injuring dozens. others, police and a government official said.
Abdul Rasheed, director of public health in Mastung, a district of Balochistan province, said 30 bodies were taken to one hospital and 22 more were counted at a second hospital.
The bombing took place in Mastung, government administrator Atta Ullah said. The injured were taken to nearby hospitals and some were in critical condition, he said.
A senior police officer, Mohammad Nawaz, was among the dead, according to Mr. Ullah. Police were investigating whether it was a suicide attack, he added.
Muslims across Pakistan and around the world celebrate the birthday of the Prophet of Islam by organizing public gatherings. The birth anniversary is known as Mawlid an-Nabi. During the all-day celebrations, Muslims also distribute free meals to people.
Friday’s attack came days after authorities asked police to remain on high alert because militants could target gatherings celebrating the birthday of Islam’s prophet.
Pakistani President Arif Alvi condemned the attack and asked authorities to provide all possible assistance to the injured and the victims’ families.
PHOTO ARSHAD BUTT, ASSOCIATED PRESS
In a statement, caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti denounced the bombing and expressed sadness and grief over the loss of life. He said it was a “heinous act” to target people during the Mawlid an-Nabi procession.
The government declared a national holiday for the birth anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad, and President Arif Alvi and caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul-haq-Kakar, in separate messages, called for unity and solidarity. adherence to the teachings of the prophet of Islam.
So far, no one has claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack, but the Pakistani Taliban quickly distanced themselves. The Pakistani Taliban, known as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, is a distinct group but a close ally of the Afghan Taliban, which seized power in neighboring Afghanistan in August 2021 as U.S. and US troops The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) were in the final stages of their withdrawal from the country after 20 years of war.
Previous deadly attacks in Balochistan province and elsewhere have been claimed by the Islamic State group. Gas-rich Balochistan, located in the southwest, on the border of Afghanistan and Iran, has been the scene of a small-scale insurgency led by Baloch nationalists for more than two decades.
Baloch nationalists initially wanted to get a share of provincial resources, but later launched an insurgency calling for independence.