A suspected suicide blast during a religious procession in Balochistan’s Mastung district left 53 dead, including a police officer, with dozens injured. Hospitals in the region received bodies: 16 at the Mastung District Headquarter Hospital, 32 at Shaheed Naqab Ghous Bakhsh Raisani Memorial Hospital, and five at the Civil Hospital Quetta. Over 100 wounded individuals were treated at local hospitals, with critical cases sent to Quetta.
The explosion occurred near Madina Masjid during an Eid-i-Miladun Nabi procession, an annual religious gathering to celebrate the birth of Prophet Muhammad. The attacker reportedly targeted and killed Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nawaz Gishkori, resulting in a “suicide blast” as confirmed by authorities.
No group has claimed responsibility, but Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan denied involvement. Balochistan’s Caretaker Information Minister, Jan Achakzai, condemned the attack, urging blood donors to assist the wounded.
Balochistan’s Inspector General Abdul Khalique Sheikh spoke of ongoing “anti-terror operations” in Mastung and the government’s resolve to combat terrorism. Pakistan’s Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar and President Dr. Arif Alvi expressed grief, directing medical treatment for the injured. Federal Interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti strongly condemned the blast, asserting that terrorists should “receive no leniency”.
Interim Balochistan Chief Minister Ali Mardan Domki ordered an inquiry into the incident, called for “unity against terrorism”, and announced three days of mourning in Balochistan.
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sorrow and called for swift justice. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan denounced the situation in Balochistan, urging justice and emphasizing that hyper-securitization would not solve Balochistan’s security problem.