A locally manufactured explosive device detonated near the Civil Secretariat and Commissioner Office on Quetta's Zarghoon Road, injuring at least nine people, including a traffic policeman and four children, said police and government officials on Wednesday.
According to the senior superintendent operations, the explosion occurred in a trash dump beneath a bridge on Zarghoon Road. He said further inquiries into the explosion are being conducted.
The four children who were injured in the explosion were ragpickers, the SSP said.
In a post on X, Commissioner Quetta Division Muhammad Hamza Shafqaat urged people to stay off Zarghoon Road for the next few hours.
Even after making unmatched sacrifices in the fight against terrorism, Pakistan has seen an increase in terror incidents in 2023, and outlawed organizations are still operating there.
Throughout the year, militant assaults have claimed the lives of hundreds of civilians and personnel of the armed forces; August 2023 proved to be the deadliest month, with 99 strikes and 112 fatalities.
During the most recent Corps Commander Conference, the military's highest-ranking officials also voiced concerns regarding the availability of the latest weapons to terrorists and the freedom of movement available by outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and similar groups in a neighboring country.