Attack on Christian Colony in Pakistan leaves one child dead, two others injured

A bomb blast outside the gates of a Christian colony in the Pakistani province of Balochistan has left a 7-year-old child dead and two others injured.

The police said that the bomb was planted near the gates of the colony in the city of Chaman and the impact of the blast had shattered the windows on the nearby buildings. According to Daily Times, the initial investigation conducted by the police and Frontier Corps (FC) personnel had suggested that the explosion was a grenade attack.

The two injured children were reportedly taken to the Chaman Hospital for medical treatment. The child who died in the blast had been identified as Lucky Saleem, while one of the injured was named Vishal Vikram.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Khan Zehri condemned the attack and ordered security forces to arrest the terrorist elements responsible for the blast. He also asked security agencies to closely monitor the law and order situation in Chaman and its surrounding areas.

The incident was said to be the third terror attack in Pakistan amid the celebrations of Eid Miladun Nabi, the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad, which fell on Dec. 2 this year.

At least five people were killed, including one child, following a suicide bomb attack in Balochistan's capital of Quetta late last month. The attackers were targeting the convoy of security forces on the Sariab road, the police said.

"The target was the vehicle of the Frontier Corps commander, but he was not present in the vehicle when the bomb attack took place," a government official said, as reported by Hindustan Times.

No group has taken credit for the incident, but Taliban militants and Baloch nationalists often carry out attacks targeting security forces in the area.

In September, a teenager was killed and nearly two dozen people were left injured after a suicide bomber detonated his explosive belt in Chaman. The blast reportedly occurred near the Friendship Gate, where commuters and drivers of NATO container trucks were waiting for verification of their documents.

In July, a police officer was killed and at least 10 were wounded after a bike-riding suicide bomber targeted a convoy of police officers at the Eidgah Chowk area.

The series of attacks in the province has raised concerns about a growing militant presence, including those affiliated with the Islamic State, which has claimed responsibility for several bombings in the region.

The violent incidents have raised security concerns for projects in the $50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor, which aims to establish a transport and energy link western China to Pakistan's Gwadar port.