Staff Report

MASTUNG: A powerful roadside explosion hit a passenger bus in a remote area of Balochistan early on Monday, killing two people and injuring more than 40, including women and children, CNBC reports.

Officials said a passenger coach, carrying at least 70 people, was travelling from Quetta to Nushki area of Balochistan, when a powerful blast took place near it in Dringarh area in Mastung district, some 30 kilometers from Quetta.

Police said two people were killed on the spot and over 40 passengers suffered injuries. They were later shifted to civil hospital Mastung and Bolan Medical Complex of Quetta.

Levies and army troops arrived at the scene and cordoned off the area to investigate the blast.

Official sources said explosive was caused by a planted device fixed in motorbike at the roadside.

“Probably the bomb was fixed to target a bus of devotees travelling from Quetta to Pak-Iran border town, Taftan; but unfortunately this Nushki-bound was struck with blast,” they said.

Passenger coaches, police patrolling parties and government installations have often been a target of miscreants and Baloch rebels in parts of strife-hit Balochistan. – CNBC