6 Shia students martyred, 53 injured in a bomb hits university bus in Quetta

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - At least six Shia  students were martyred and 53 injured when a car bomb exploded near a university bus on Monday, June 18, 2012. Among the deceased  Rashid, Irfan, Aqil Raza, Shahid, Abdul Hadi and Masoom were identified. The attack took place Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on IT University bus located in Jinnah Town on the outskirts of Quetta, the capital of the oil and gas rich Baluchistan province that borders Afghanistan and Iran. An improvised-explosive device planted underneath a car parked by terrorists of banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi on the roadside exploded near the bus of the local IT university, killing six students and wounding 53 others, mostly students. According to Bomb Disposal Squad, about 40kg explosives were used in the remote-controlled bomb, planted inside a car which was parked nearby. "It was not immediately clear if the bus was the target but we are investigating," he added. Another local police official, Akbar Shawani, confirmed the casualties. He said that the bus was taking the students to their university. Four police officials were also injured as a police mobile passed by. Capital City Police Officer Quetta said that the university bus was targeted in the attack. The injured were moved to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) and Civil Hospital. Police cordoned off Jinnah Town – a residential area in Quetta. The roadside blast left a 3-foot crater on the road. Police and security teams have reached the site and an investigative operation is underway. Balochistan Home Minister Zafarullah Zehri also reached the blast site. A rickshaw parked nearby was completely destroyed in the blast, while the buildings nearby received damages. Though Quetta has always been a graveyard for Shiites, this is the first time that Shiite students have been targeted. The irony of the matter is the future of Pakistan hangs in the hands of Extremist terrorists and the government seems helpless to change this fact. http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&id=323178