A bomb exploded on Wednesday April 21 in the parking lot of a luxury hotel in the city of Quetta, in western Pakistan. At least four people were killed and nine others injured, according to an initial police report, relayed by Associated Press.
The victims were transported to various hospitals in the region, while Pakistani news channels broadcast images of burning cars.
Senior police official Azhar Akram said officers were examining the hypothesis that the bomb was placed in a vehicle parked in the parking lot. Mr. Akram did not provide any further details, adding only that the police were continuing their investigation.
Insurrectionary zone
For now, the attack has not been claimed. Provincial government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani said the explosion was an act of terrorism. Mr. Shahwani did not give more details on this matter, however. “Pakistan’s enemies are behind today’s attack”, he simply said.
The province of Balochistan, of which Quetta is the capital, has long been the scene of an insurgency led by secessionist groups such as the Balochistan Liberation Front and the Balochistan Liberation Army. For decades, the latter have organized attacks to assert their demands for independence. The Taliban are also present in this area in the west of the country.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, for his part, accused neighboring India of being behind the attack, although he provided no evidence to support such claims. He told Pakistani news channel Geo that his country had only one enemy. Ahmed also said he had received information about attacks likely to hit the capital, Islamabad. This information was, according to him, communicated to the competent authorities with a view to strengthening security.