Islamabad, Mar 27 (PTI) At least three people were killed and 21 others injured on Thursday in a bombing attack in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province.

The blast targeted a police vehicle in the Barech Market of the capital city Quetta when it was patrolling the area, officials said, adding that policemen were among the injured.

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Police surgeon Dr Ayesha Faiz said that three people were killed and another 21 injured, including four policemen.

“Four injured persons are in a critical condition,” he said.

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However, the interior ministry confirmed only two deaths in a statement.

Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind said that an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was hidden in a motorcycle which detonated near a parked police vehicle, and added that the nature of the blast was being determined.

Video footage showed people gathering at the scene of the blast, with the flaming wreckage of the motorcycle next to the charred police pickup truck.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the blast but the Balochistan Liberation Army has been involved in several attacks on the security forces in the province.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the blast and expressed sorrow over the deaths.

“The forces of the enemy are targeting Balochistan. We will thwart this heinous conspiracy meant to create instability,” he said in a statement.

The bombing comes hours after at least six passengers were killed in an overnight attack by terrorists on a passenger bus in the volatile province.

The vehicle was on its way to Karachi when it came under attack in the Kalmat area of Gwadar district of the province.

The attacks comes amid heightened tensions in Balochistan, following the hijacking of the Jaffar Express by terrorists from the banned BLA earlier this month. The train, carrying 440 passengers, was hijacked, leading to the killing of 26 hostages, including 18 security personnel. The following day, the Army neutralised all 33 terrorists and rescued 354 hostages.

Since then, multiple attacks have taken place across the province.

Bordering Iran and Afghanistan, Balochistan is home to a long-running violent insurgency.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)