A deadly explosion struck a vehicle on Quetta’s Brewery Road near the western bypass on Sunday evening, killing one person and injuring four others. According to initial reports, the blast was caused by a magnetic improvised explosive device (IED) attached to the vehicle.
Station House Officer (SHO) Mehmood Kharoti of Brewery Police Station confirmed that the deceased has been identified as Babul Mohammad Hassani, son of Zabar Mohammad Hassani, a resident of Kalat. His associate, Nabeel Ahmed, son of Mohammad Amin, also from Kalat, sustained serious injuries.
Three bystanders were also injured in the explosion. They have been identified as Bilawal, son of Fatah; Mohammad Anwar, son of Karim; and Abdul Zahir Bangulzai. All injured were immediately shifted to Bolan Medical Complex, where they are currently receiving treatment.
Police officials stated that one of the injured was inside the targeted vehicle, while the remaining three were passersby caught in the blast radius. Authorities are still investigating whether the explosive device was placed inside the vehicle or attached from the outside.
Sources suggest that Babul Hassani was an important member of the Pakistan Army-backed so-called “death squad,” a militia accused of targeting Baloch activists and civilians. His father was reportedly killed last year during an operation by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), codenamed “Operation Herof.”
Security forces and law enforcement personnel arrived at the scene shortly after the blast and have begun collecting forensic evidence. Security in the area has been heightened in response to the incident.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack on Monday. In an official statement, BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch said that the organisation’s elite Special Tactical Operations Squad (STOS) carried out the targeted attack based on intelligence provided by their internal unit, ZIRAB.
According to the statement, Babul Hassani was a key operative of the Pakistani military and intelligence services and had direct ties to the notorious death squad leader Zakariya Mohammad Hassani. Babul was reportedly leading an armed group in Kalat involved in the abduction, torture, and enforced disappearance of civilians.
The BLA further alleged that under the protection of the Pakistani military, Babul ran a torture cell and helped establish military posts in various areas including Kalat’s Garrap region. His group was also accused of armed patrolling and assisting in military operations that resulted in serious human rights abuses in the surrounding regions, including Surkhen and Kohak in Manguchar.
The spokesperson warned that all members of Babul Hassani’s network have been identified and are under constant surveillance. He urged them to surrender to the national army[BLA], warning that failure to do so would result in consequences similar to Babul’s fate.