17 killed in attack on Pakistan's Senate deputy chair's convoy

At least 17 people were killed and 30 others including deputy chairman of Pakistan's Senate injured when his convoy came under attack in the Mastung district of the country's southwest Balochistan Province on Friday afternoon, local media and officials said.

The deputy medical superintendent of the Mastung Civil Hospital, where all the victims were initially shifted to, confirmed that they have received 17 bodies, according to local reports.

Local Urdu TV channel Geo said that 30 people have been injured in the attack, and out of them, the seriously wounded victims were referred to hospitals in provincial capital of Quetta.

A state of emergency has been declared in all state-run hospitals in Quetta, located some 50 km away from Mastung.

Deputy Inspector Police of Quetta said that Molana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, the deputy chairman of the Pakistan's Upper House, got slightly injured after being hit by glass of broken windows of his car.

He said that the senator was on his way to attend some function in a seminary when his convoy came under attack.

Deputy Police Officer of Mastung Ghazanfar Ali said that Haideri's vehicle got completely damaged and his driver and personal assistant were also killed in the attack.

He said that the senator remained safe, as he was not sitting in his own car.

Ali said that the blast seems to be carried out by a suicide bomber, however, further investigations are being made into the incident.

No group has claimed the attack yet.