62 killed in blasts, firing in 3 Pak cities

Peshawar/Karachi, June 23 

Twin blasts tore through a market crowded with Eid shoppers in a mainly Shia town, a suicide bomber blew up his explosives-laden car and militants opened fire on police in separate attacks in Pakistan's three major cities today, killing 62 people and wounding nearly 100.

The suicide bomber blew up his explosives-laden car near IGP Ehsan Mehboob's office in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, killing at least 13 people, including seven policemen, and wounding 21 others.

The blast was claimed by both local affiliate of the Islamic State and Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a splinter group of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan.

Hours later, two back-to-back blasts tore through a market crowded with people shopping for Eid in the Shia- dominated Parachinar city in the Kurram tribal region, killing 45 people, mostly Shias, and injuring 75.

The first blast occurred during rush hour in Turi Market, where a bus terminal is also located. The second blast took place as rescuers rushed to aid those who had been hurt in the first explosion.

At least 45 people have been killed and 75 others injured in Parachinar, an official from the Parachinar administration said.

Earlier, Medical Superintendent of the District General Hospital, Parachinar, Sabir Hussain, confirmed the death of 45. Over 20 of the injured were in critical condition.

In the evening, two armed men on a motorcycle, with their faces covered with helmets, opened fire on police officers at a roadside restaurant in Karachi and killed four of them.