Ninety-two people were wounded in the explosion, according to Civil Hospital director Abdul Rehman.
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Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a breakaway faction of the Pakistani Taliban, and so-called Islamic State both claim to have been behind the blast. Jamaat-ur-Ahrar also claimed responsibility for the bombing.Quetta has always been regarded as a base for the Afghan Taliban, whose leadership has regularly held meetings there in the past.In May, Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed by a United States drone strike while travelling to Quetta from the Pakistan-Iran border. The Sunni group has attracted some support in Pakistan, but has largely struggled to gain a foothold there due to competition from established groups like the Taliban. These terrorists targeted a hospital, the judiciary, and the media, the most important pillars of democracy, the spokesperson said, adding that these brutal and senseless attacks only deepen shared resolve to defeat terrorism around the world.
Kasi was shot and killed early on Monday morning while on his way to the main court complex in Quetta, Geo reported.
But in what was likely an opportunistic statement, the Islamic State group also claimed responsibility for the Quetta attack later on Monday, though there have been instances of competing claims in previous attacks in Pakistan.
Lawyers’ groups conducted protest rallies in several cities.
The squad said they have found limbs of the bomber, which will be sifted for lab test to help further investigations.
The detonation took place outside the gates of the hospital’s emergency ward.
Television footage showed scenes of chaos, with panicked people fleeing through the debris as smoke filled the hospital corridors.
“Our hearts go out to the families and other loved ones of more than 60 killed and we wish a speedy recovery to the dozens more injured”.
Sarfraz Bugti, the provincial interior minister, denounced the attack as an “act of terrorism”.
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In addition to visiting victims in hospital, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the head of the army held talks with security officials in in Quetta. Sharif asked the local authorities to maintain utmost vigilance and beef up security in Quetta. In 2007, lawyers launched a campaign against then-President Pervez Musharraf for sacking the chief justice, Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry. Later, political parties joined the campaign and Musharraf was forced to quit in 2008 and Chaudhry was reinstated.
