Twin bombings in Pakistan kill 28 ahead of elections
Two bomb explosions near the offices of electoral candidates in Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan have killed at least 28 people, officials said.
Dozens of people were also injured in the bombings a day before the parliamentary elections.
Jan Achakzai, the caretaker information minister of Balochistan, said the first blast was carried out at the office of Asfandyar Khan Kakar on Wednesday. Kakar is an independent election candidate in the Pishin district.
The attack in close proximity to the Afghanistan border killed 16 people.
Meanwhile, the religious party Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI) was once again targeted in Qilla Saifullah as the second explosion was carried out near their office.
Yasir Bazai, the deputy commissioner of Qilla Saifullah, said a motorcycle parked near the office was rigged with an explosive device. 12 people were killed and 25 injured.
Update on the twin blasts in #Balochistan:#Pishin blast: 16 victims#QillaSaifullah blast: 12 victims
— Jan Achakzai / جان اچکزئی (@Jan_Achakzai) February 7, 2024
Regrettably, we are apprehensive that the numbers of martyrs may rise.
Yet we have revisited security protocols.
Tomorrow inshallah, people of Balochistan will exercise…
The terrorist attacks were carried out when a large number of workers and supporters of political leaders had gathered for meetings, according to officials.
No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the bomb attacks.
Pakistan’s foreign office has said in light of the attacks, the western border crossings with Iran and Afghanistan will be temporarily closed until Friday. The move is to ensure the safety and security during the election period.
Earlier on Monday, the militant group Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for an attack that killed 10 people at a police station in northwest Pakistan. The TTP stated that it was targeting the police and security forces, but not electoral candidates.
Violence ahead of elections and on the day of polling is common in Pakistan, which has struggled to rein in militancy, as militant groups and personal grudges target candidates and rallies.
The provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have emerged as breeding grounds for militancy.
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