QUETTA: At least three personnel of Balochistan Constabulary (BC) were martyred and 20 others sustained injuries in a bomb attack that targeted a police bus on Dasht Road in Mastung district, some 35km south of Quetta, on Tuesday.

Officials said that the bus was coming from Kalat police lines to drop the Balochistan Constabulary contingent comprising 35 personnel in the Kund Masoori area of Mastung for providing security to the ongoing sit-in of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal in the Lakpass area when the blast took place close to the vehicle.

As a result of the powerful explosion, the police bus was badly damaged and three BCpersonnel lost their lives on the spot while 20 others were injured. Police and personnel of other law enforcement agencies rushed to the site, cordoned off the area and shifted the bodies and injured to Nawab Raisani Memorial Hospital, Mastung.

`We have received three bodies and 20 injured personnel,` a spokesman for the hospital said, adding that the condition two of the injured was serious. They would be shifted to trauma centre in the Civil Hospital of Quetta, he said.

Police said the explosives planted in a motorcycle was detonated with a remote-controlled device when the police bus reached Kund Masoori area at Dasht road.

The bomb disposal squad examined the blast site and confirmed that the explosive was plantedin the motorcycle and collected evidence, further investigation is underway. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

However, the banned BRAS has claimed the responsibility of the attack on FC and levies camp in Galangoor area of Noshki district.

While condemning the bomb blast, spokesman for the Balochistan government Shahid Rind said that the BC contingent bus was targeted when they were going to provide security to the BNP sit-in in Lakpass area of Mastung district.

He said that all injured personnel were shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment, while those in serious condition were being moved to Quetta for treatment.

Authorities have launched a detailed investi-gation into the incident and called for a comprehensive report.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the martyrdom of three personnel and prayed for the early recovery of the injured.

President Zardari reiterated the nation`s resolve for continuous efforts to wipe out terrorism from the country.

PM Shehbaz declared that the nation would thwart the nefarious designs of terrorists, who were enemies of humanity.

While condemning the attack, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti expressed solidarity with the families of the martyred personnel.

`Those involved in this heinous act do not deserve any leniency, he said.