At least 55 devotees were martyred and several injured in a suspected suicide blast during an Eid Miladun Nabi procession in Balochistan’s Mastung city on Friday.

Assistant Commissioner of Mastung Attaul Muneem confirmed it was a suicide blast. He said that the suicide bomber blew himself up in the religious procession at Al Falah Road.

Caretaker Balochistan Home Minister Mohammad Zubair Jamali also said that police were investigating it as a suicide bombing.

Mastung DSP Mohammad Nawaz Ghishkori was among the dead, city’s SHO Javed Lehri stated.

Friday’s blast comes as Pakistan prepares for an election due in January next year – while grappling with a political crisis, a crippled economy, and a surge in militant violence inspired by the return to power of the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2021.

While initial reports said 20 people had died, the death toll continued to climb. At least 52 people had died and 55 others were wounded, according to Mastung District Health Officer Dr Abdur Rashid.

Later on Friday evening, a Civil Hospital Quetta spokesperson stated that at least 55 people had died after two wounded persons passed away in the trauma centre and the Bolan Medical College and Hospital. At least 60 people were injured.

The condition of eight was critical, the spokesperson said, adding that six were being provided medical aid at the BMC.

The procession was preparing to leave its starting point after people gathered in an open ground near the Medina Masjid when the explosion rocked the area, the district assistant commissioner said.

The powerful blast ripped through the procession and dozens of participants lost their limbs. Graphics images from the scene showed at least ten bodies lying in close proximity.

A video clip obtained by Aaj News showed a number of wounded people and bodies strewn across an empty ground.

Hours later police found another bomb on the site and defused it, said Lehri.

An official of the police said that the security forces cordoned off the area and moved the injured to the hospital while an emergency had been declared in the hospitals.

Mujeeb Ahmed of Aaj News reported that several of the injured were moved to hospitals in Quetta and Kalat. At least 23 injured arrived in Quetta.

However, due to cellular phone service outages, people were finding it hard to reach their loved ones.

The government saw negligence as one of the causes of the bombing and suspended Mastung Deputy Commissioner Abdur Razzaq Sasoli and SSP Shoaib Masood from work.

Three policemen injured: Balochistan police chief

Authorities had initiated action to prevent such incidents of terror in the future, Balochistan Inspector General of Police Abdul Khalique Sheikh said.

“Some groups were active in Mastung earlier and operations are under way to counter them,” he told reporters, adding that the outlawed Daesh had previously claimed responsibility for such attacks in the past.

He added that police official sacrificed his life while attempting to stop a suicide bomber while three other personnel, including a DSP, sustained injuries in the blast.

“The aim of terrorism is to create chaos and instability in Balochistan,” he said. “Police have been ordered to take strong action against the elements involved in the bombing and those providing them shelter.”

‘Govt determined to root out terrorism from country’

President Dr Arif Alvi and caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar, in Saudi Arabia for the religious pilgrimage of Umrah, denounced the explosion in Mastung.

In their separate statements, they expressed deep grief and sorrow over the death of people in the incident. They also commiserated with the bereaved families.

They directed the authorities concerned to provide the best possible medical treatment to the injured.

In his remarks, PM Kakar said: “The government is determined to root out terrorism from the country.”

In a statement shared by Radio Pakistan, he said terrorists have no religion and a policy of zero tolerance was being pursued against terrorists.

Interim Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi also condemned the blast. Such cowardly terrorist acts cannot shake the nation’s resolve, he said, adding that entire Pakistani nation was united against terrorism.

He reaffirmed the commitment to root out the menace of terrorism with the cooperation of security forces and the people.

Caretaker Federal Interior Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti condemned the Mastung blast as he regretted the loss of precious human lives.

He said the enemy is showing its cowardice by targeting innocent people.

“The people of Balochistan are brave and fearless and have always defeated these elements calling for insecurity with their courage,’’ said the minister.

He also directed authorities to provide the best medical facilities to the injured.

Balochistan CM Domki urged the people to unite against terrorism, adding that Islam was a religion of peace and “those who commit such heinous acts cannot be called Muslims”.

Caretaker Home Minister Muhammad Zubair Jamali said that investigations are underway to find out the cause of the explosion; however, initial reports and evidence showed it was a suicide bombing.

He vowed to not let anyone disturb the peace of the province while ordering the authorities to submit a report on the bombing in the next 48 hours.

Former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif said such heinous acts were highly condemnable and had no place in the country.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan also condemned the Mastung blast, saying that it was unacceptable that the residents of Balochistan were compelled to live in “constant fear” amid deteriorating law and order.

“Those responsible for this heinous attack must be brought to justice. HRCP believes, however, that hyper-securitisation will not resolve the security problem in the province,” it said in a post on X.

The PTI condemned the blast and called for a comprehensive investigation into the incident and strict action against those responsible.

“We request the federal and provincial governments to give up political revenge and focus on dealing with the real threat like terrorism,” it said.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari described the terror scenes as “tragic”.

“Human life is sacred, and the terrorists should know that we as a nation will not stand idly by as they try to return us to an era of bloodshed,” he said in a post.

PPP leader Sherry Rehman urged her party workers to reach Mastung and Quetta hospitals for relief operations and blood donations.

“The growing incidence of terrorism in Mustang is a matter of concern. Strict action should be taken against the terrorists involved in the attack.”

Three-day mourning period announced

Caretaker Information Minister of Balochistan Jan Achakzai said that the number of martyrs is rising as the provincial government has deployed law enforcement agencies and rescue forces at the blast site.

“Emergency imposed in Quetta Hospitals. Appeals out for blood donations. Plz pray for the martyrs and injured,” he wrote on X.

Achakzai announced a three-day mourning period. National flags would remain at half-mast on government buildings during the three days of mourning, said the state broadcaster.

Hundreds of kilometres north in Hangu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, four people were killed after the roof of a mosque collapsed following a blast as two gunmen attempted to storm the building.

International community condemns blasts

The international community condemned the blasts and said that they were standing with Pakistan in this hour of grief

United Nations Secretary General Anotonio Guterres said that it was abhorrent that such attacks targeted people during peaceful, religious ceremonies.

Those responsible must be held to account, he stressed.

US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome was grieved to hear about the blasts, saying that the people deserved to gather and celebrate their faith without the fear of terror attacks

“The Pakistani people deserve to gather and celebrate their faith without the fear of terror attacks like the ones today in Balochistan and KP. Our hearts go out to the victims and their families,” he was quoted as saying in a statement shared by the embassy on X. “We will continue to stand with Pakistan in the face of these vicious attacks.”

France condemned the terrorist attacks on religious gatherings and condoled the innocent lives lost.

“We condole the innocent lives lost and wish for the speedy recovery of the injured,” said the French embassy in Pakistan.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s strong condemnation and denunciation of the terrorist attacks.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani condemned the terrorist act and extended his condolences to the government and people of Pakistan.

The spokesman said: “The terrorist act against the participants in the birth anniversary of the Prophet of mercy and kindness is a vivid example that terrorists are far from the merciful teachings of the revered Prophet of Islam.”

The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has distanced itself from the suicide bombings in Mastung and Hangu. In a statement, the group’s spokesperson said his group had nothing to do with the two attacks.

The banned organisation was grieved over the blasts and condemned them. “Mosques, madressahs, schools, and public gatherings are not among the targets of the organisation,” said the outlawed terrorist group.

Meanwhile, a social media user on X, apparently linked to the Indian intelligence agency RAW, made a tweet in the wake of the Mastung blast.

“A DSP for DSP.. Always remember, nothing goes unanswered when u attack our Men,” wrote the social media user on Friday.

It merits here to mention that an Indian DSP was killed on September 16 in Uri during a false flag operation.

‘All of a sudden I heard an explosion’

“All of a sudden I heard an explosion… many people got injured and many were martyred,” said Ilyas Khan, a student.

Local hospitals were overwhelmed by the number of wounded, and provincial authorities used social media platforms to appeal for blood donors.

Every year, mosques and government buildings are elaborately illuminated with strings of lights, and people march in processions to mark the Prophet’s birthday.

On the same occasion in April 2006, a suicide bomber killed at least 50 people in Karachi after detonating a device at a religious gathering.

“My feet trembled and I was thrown to the ground,” said 49-year-old Hazoor Bakhsh.

“As the dust settled, I saw people scattered in all directions, some screaming while others called out for help.”

(With input from AFP)

This is a developing story…