Pakistani security forces killed a Potential suicide bomber and injured two others on Thursday evening (26th April 2012) minutes before they could attack a Shia pilgrims’ bus in southwestern provincial capital of Quetta, local media reported.
The police officials in plain clothes deputed near Hazara Town tried to stop a suspect and opened fire at him when he tried to run away, Superintendent Police (SP) Brewery Malik Arshid said.
According to reports, police personnel in Plain Clothes with the volunteers of Hazara Community Youth stopped three suspected persons for checking at a check post but they ran away from the site towards the Hazara Town.
Police personnel followed and opened aerial firing to stop them but they threw a hand grenade at policemen besides spraying bullets with pistols.
The detonator prematurely went off, killing the man on the spot; however, his suicide vest could not explode, he added. The explosion rocked the area.
On checking, police also found an explosive jacket tied to the body of the killed person, which was later diffused by the bomb disposal squad.
According to the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS), the bomber was carrying 4-5kg explosive material and ball bearings.
Police shifted both injured terrorists to the unknown place for the treatment and investigation.
A security official told media that the terrorists were trying to enter the Hazara town, a sensitive area of the Quetta city where most Shia killings had been reported in recent months.
“They were on the way to attack a bus of pilgrims of Shiite Muslims planning to go to Iran for a holy visit,” said the official.
Sources said that the alleged suicide bomber wanted to target the people of Shia Hazara community and the police with the Help of Volunteers from the Hazara Community successfully foiled the attempt.
The body was shifted to Bolan Medical College (BMC) Teaching Hospital for autopsy. The identity of the alleged bomber could not be ascertained as yet.
The police in Quetta have adopted the strict security measures after an increase in the sectarian killings during last month.
At least 26 people of Shiite Muslim community were shot dead in Quetta since the start of this month in different firing incidents.
Hundreds of people have been killed in violence between Sunni and Shiite Muslims in Pakistan, especially, during last three decades.
