Hours after massive Quetta car bomb blast kills 10, Pakistan points fingers at India

At least 10 people died and 32 were injured after a car bomb blast tore through a street outside Frontier Constabulary (FC) headquarters, Quetta, Pakistan.

The death toll was confirmed by Balochistan health Minister Bakht Muhammad Kakar, and he warned that the death toll could rise.

Social media footage captured the incident. The blast was so powerful that it shattered the windows of nearby houses and buildings. After the explosion, gunfire was also reported, which spread panic and fear among the residents.

According to a post by the Balochistan government’s X account, security forces acted swiftly and eliminated four of the terrorists.

Mere hours after the blast, Pakistani media and President Asif Ali Zardari  said that the attack was carried out by the ‘Fitna-al-Khawarij’. The term is used to refer to terrorists belonging to the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a group that Pakistan claims is funded by the neighbours. The president’s secretariat also added that “India-backed terrorists’ were responsible for the blast.

However, there were no reports that an investigation that took place after the blast led to that conclusion.

The statement also commended the security forces for “their timely and effective response, which foiled the designs of the terrorists.”

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Special Operations Quetta Muhammad Baloch said that “The blast occurred as an explosive-laden vehicle took a turn from Model Town towards Hali Road, near the Frontier Constabulary (FC) headquarters.”

The Balochistan health department imposed an emergency in hospitals across the state, Dawn reported. The 32 injured have been taken to the Civil Hospital and Trauma Centre, according to media reports.

The region has seen incidents like this before, as insurgent groups like the Baloch Liberation Army have demanded independance. On September 3, a suicide bombing in Quetta killed 11 and left 40 injured at a political rally.