Suicide Bombing at Quetta Rally Claims 13 Lives, Injures 30

A suicide bombing near a political rally in Quetta, Pakistan, resulted in the deaths of at least 13 individuals and injured around 30 others on the evening of October 3, 2023. The attack occurred outside a stadium as supporters of a nationalist party were leaving a gathering, which marked the anniversary of the death of veteran leader Sardar Ataullah Mengal, according to local police and hospital officials.

The police chief of Quetta, Majeed Qaisrani, reported that the explosion took place near a graveyard close to the stadium on the outskirts of the city, the capital of Balochistan province. Body parts of the attacker were recovered at the scene. Waseem Baig, a spokesman for a government hospital, confirmed that the facility received 13 deceased individuals and several wounded, with some in critical condition.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the bombing. The rally was organized by the Balochistan National Party, led by Akhtar Mengal, who was unharmed in the attack. However, many of his supporters were among those killed and injured, as noted by senior police officer Usama Ameen. Mengal is known for his vocal criticism of the government, often rallying to demand the release of missing Baloch nationalists.

In response to the attack, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti condemned the bombing as a “cowardly act of the enemies of humanity.” He ordered that the wounded receive the best medical care available and called for a thorough investigation to hold those responsible accountable.

On a national level, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also condemned the incident, attributing blame to “India-backed terrorists and their facilitators” for targeting civilians to destabilize the nation. Naqvi did not provide evidence to support his claims. The Pakistan government and Bugti have increasingly asserted that India supports both the Pakistani Taliban and Baloch separatists, allegations that New Delhi has consistently denied.

Balochistan has been a hotbed of low-level insurgency for years, with groups like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) demanding independence from the central government. Although security forces have reported that the insurgency has been largely subdued, violence in the region persists. For instance, in July 2023, gunmen abducted and killed nine people after stopping two passenger buses traveling from Quetta to Punjab province. The BLA has claimed responsibility for several such attacks in the past.

As the investigation into the bombing progresses, the affected families and communities are left to grapple with the devastating impact of this tragic event.