Pakistan: 28 killed, 40 injured as back-to-back blasts hit Balochistan on eve of elections

At least 28 people were reportedly killed and several others injured in a powerful bomb blast outside the election office of an independent candidate in Pakistan’s Balochistan province a day before the general elections. The blast happened outside the office of independent candidate Asfandyar Khan Kakar located in Khanozai area of Pishin district in Balochistan. The first attack claimed at least 15 people’s lives while over 30 were injured after an explosion took place outside an independent candidate’s office in Balochistan’s Pishin while the second blast took place outside the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) office in the Killa Saifullah district, Geo news reported. Police said that the bomb was apparently left in a bag outside the election office of the candidate and was later detonated by a remote timer. Police did not divulge more information as the matter was being probed. Violence has been at its peak in Balochistan in the lead-up to the 8th February General Elections in Pakistan. With Pakistan’s general elections drawing near, at least nine grenade attacks, targeting election offices of candidates and polling stations, were carried out in various parts of Pakistan’s Makran division and Quetta, on Tuesday, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. Individuals riding motorcycles threw hand grenades at a government school in Killi Ahmedzai, located on the outskirts of Quetta, late in the evening on Tuesday. The grenade exploded in the courtyard of the school, designated as a polling station, according to Dawn report. Since Sunday there have been around 50 such attacks carried out in the province and in one incident in Sibi town attackers targeted an election rally of a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party-backed candidate for the National Assembly in which four people lost their lives and six were injured. Frontier Corps and Levies personnel had reached the spot of the blast in Panjgur but the local police officer in the area said the casualties could increase as it was a very powerful blast. Outlawed separatist groups in Balochistan province have been carrying out attacks on security personnel, installations and government employees all over the province as they claim to be fighting a war to restore the rights of the local people and an end to the alleged possession of the province’s rich minerals by the government and security forces. But since last year they have stepped up attacks and have targeted the candidates contesting the general elections on Thursday. Late last month in a massive attack on the Mach town claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) at least 24 militants, four security personnel and two civilians were killed during a three-day operation that was carried out in the area after the repulsed attack. Law enforcement agencies also thwarted an attack at a government school in Pasni, where an explosive device was discovered near the Bagh Bazaar Government School. The militants have not spared even the residences of contesting candidates and late Tuesday night hand grenade attacks were carried out at the houses of Balochistan National Party-Mengal’s candidate for National Assembly, Mir Mohammad Yaqoob, in Awaran district, and an attack on the house of PML-N candidate Mir Mohammad Aslam Buledi in Buleda. In Panjgur town also grenades were thrown at the houses of National Party leader Abdul Qadeer Sajdi and an independent candidate, Dr Noor Baloch, who remained unhurt in the attacks. With inputs from PTI.