Gunmen kill 18 in attack on Khuzdar fuel station
By: Muhammad Ejaz Khan
QUETTA: Eighteen people, including eight women and three children, were killed and four others were injured when unknown armed men attacked a mini petrol pump in Khuzdar on Friday, some 300 kilometres from the provincial capital.
Officials of the Khuzdar police said that some unidentified gunmen driving a car opened fire at the petrol pump when a passenger coach had stopped there to get fuel. Over 20 people were travelling in the passenger coach, which was going to Archino village from the Khuzdar city.
The armed men opened fire with modern weapons. Some of the bullets hit the petrol drums, which caused a huge fire engulfing the fuel station, the passenger van, two motorbikes and four neighbouring shops, DPO Khuzdar Faseehud Din told the media persons. Paramilitary troops and fire-fighters later extinguished the fire.
Police officials said that eight passengers were killed on the spot while a dozen others, including fuel station staff and passer-bys, were shifted to hospital for treatment, where 10 of them later succumbed to serious burn injuries.
The police were clueless about the attackers who fled from the scene after the incident. The bodies of the deceased were moved to the morgue of District Headquarters Hospital, Khuzdar, while the injured were admitted to the CMH Khuzdar for treatment.
Meanwhile, Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani has condemned the firing incident and expressed his grief over the loss of human lives. He has directed the district administration to submit a detailed report and apprehend those involved in the incident.
APP adds: The incident took place in the Jhalawan Complex area on the outskirts of Khuzdar. “As many as 11 bodies have been identified so far while the others are beyond recognition,” Deputy Commissioner Khuzdar told APP, adding eight women and three children were among the dead. The DC said that due to the severe burn injuries, a woman had been referred to the Karachi Burn Centre.
Responding to a question, Kakar said that it was premature to say who was the target.Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the killing of innocent persons in Khuzdar.In his message, the president said that it was a dastardly act of those elements who had no regard for human life.Reiterating the resolve of the government to fight the menace of extremism and terrorism, he said such cowardly acts could not deter the strong commitment of the government in the war against terror. He prayed to Almighty Allah for the eternal peace of departed souls.
The president also directed the concerned authorities to provide the best medical facilities to the injured.
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