Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah's statue destroyed by Baloch militants in a bomb attack

Karachi, Sep 27: A statue of Pakistan's founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah was demolished allegedly by Baloch militants in the coastal city of Gwadar in the troubled Balochistan province. It was blown up by explosives placed beneath the statue on Sunday morning, Dawn reports.

The statue has been completely destroyed in the blast and Baloch Republican Army has claimed responsibility for the bombing on Twitter, according to BBC Urdu. The nature of the blast was yet to be ascertained.

Abdul Kabir Khan, Gwadar Deputy Commissioner Major, said that the matter is being investigated at the highest level and he said that the militants entered the premises as tourists.

However, the officer assured that the miscreants will be brought to book soon although no arrests has been made in connection with the blast.

"We are looking into the matter from all angles and the culprits will be caught soon," he said.

"The demolition of Quaid-e-Azam's statue in #Gwadar is an attack on Ideology of Pakistan. I request authorities to punish the perpetrators in the same way as we did with those behind the attack on Quaid-e-Azam residency in Ziarat," Balochistan's former Home Minister and current Senator Sarfraz Bugti tweeted.

It may be recalled that the Baloch militants had blasted the historical building Quaid-e-Azam Residency in Ziarat. The militants blew the 121-year-old building through five explosives followed by gunfire which triggered a blaze.

The wooden parts of the building, furniture and memorabilia of Jinnah were destroyed by the blaze. The founder of Pakistan spent his last days in this place which was declared a national monument after his death.

Jinnah, who was born on 25 December, 1876, served as leader of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until Pakistan's creation on August 14, 1947. He then served as Pakistan's first governor-general until his death in 1948.