QUETTA: The Supreme Court on Thursday issued directives for the formation of a judicial commission to be headed by ajudge of the apex court to conduct an investigation into the Aug 8 suicide bombing in Quetta.

At least 70 people lost their lives in the bombing outside the Sandeman Civil Hospital in the provincial capital. Most of the victims were lawyers who had gathered there in protest against the killing of one of their colleagues in an attack.

The directives were issued by a three-member bench of the Supreme Court during the hearing of a suo motu notice on the Aug 8 incident at the Supreme Court registry here. Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali headed the bench while its members were Justice Amir Hani Muslim and Justice FaisalArab.

Justice Qazi Faez Essa will head the judicial commission which will furnish its report within 30 days.

During the hearing, lawyers for the families of the bombing victims expressed the lack of confidence in the government`s team currently investigating the case. They accused the government team of trying to protect elements behind the bombing.

They pleaded with the court that a judicial commission headed by a Supreme Court judge be formed to conduct an investigation into the case.Inspector General of Balochistan Police Ahsan Mehboob informed the court that all members of the team investigating the case had been changed.

Chief Secretary of Balochistan Saifullah Chattha told the court that agreementswith a private company for the security of the hospital had been cancelled.

The Directorate of Public Relations, government of Balochistan, submitted a report in the court about the publication of an advertisement in the newspapers about inauguration of a trauma centre in the Sandeman Civil Hospital.

The apex court ordered the Balochistan government to immediately pay compensation to families of the victims of Aug 8 bombing.

Balochistan Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti, provincial Health Secretary Noorul Haque Baloch and other of ficials were present in the court.