Funeral prayers of Mastung attack victims offered

QUETTA: The funeral prayers of the 22 pilgrims shot dead in Mastung were offered in Hazara Town graveyard, Geo News reported. A large number of people were present.

Twenty-eight people were shot dead and six others wounded in two separate incidents in Mastung and Quetta districts on Tuesday. The defunct Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LJ) has claimed responsibility for the carnage.

The first incident took place in the Ghuncha Dori area, 40 kilometres from Quetta, when some unidentified armed men attacked a Taftan-bound passenger coach. The passenger coach was carrying 45 pilgrims and traders from Quetta to Taftan (Iran), when it was attacked. Eyewitnesses said some eight to ten armed men intercepted the passenger coach and sprayed bullets on the passengers.

A partial strike is being observed in various areas of provincial capital over the killing of 26 pilgrims. More than 200 people have been held in connection with the incident.