QUETTA: A grenade attack targeted a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) rally in Quetta on Wednesday, killing two people and injuring ten others, police confirmed. The rally, led by former Balochistan PPP president Ali Madad Jattak and MPA Obaidullah Gorgag, was heading to the Railway Hockey Stadium for a public meeting celebrating Pakistan’s recent victory over Indian aggression.
Eyewitnesses reported that armed assailants fired shots in the air before throwing grenades as the procession passed through Munir Mengal Road in the Sariab area. Both Jattak and Gorgag escaped unharmed, protected by their security team.
Police official Asif Ghafoor stated that 11 party workers were wounded and rushed to the Trauma Centre of Civil Hospital in Quetta. One worker, Mehboob Ali Kurd, died from severe injuries while receiving treatment. Hospital sources identified nine injured individuals, including Qurban Ali, Abdul Razaaq, and Muhammad Asim.
Additionally, a rickshaw passenger caught in the attack also died, though his identity was unknown at the time.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti condemned the attack and vowed justice for the victims. He visited the hospital to check on the wounded and directed officials to ensure the best medical care. Despite the violence, rally participants proceeded to the stadium and held their planned public gathering.