At least 26 people have lost their lives, and numerous others have been injured in two separate explosions in Pishin and Qilla Saifullah, Pashtun-dominated areas of Balochistan on Wednesday.
According to reports, the first blast occurred at the party office of an independent candidate in Pishin district, claiming the lives of 14 people on the spot and injuring several others. The explosion took place outside the office of PB-47 candidate and former provincial minister Asfandyar Kakar.
The injured were rushed to a hospital, with some in critical condition being transported to a hospital in Quetta by helicopters.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Jumma Dad Mandokhail reported that at least 14 people were killed, and more than 23 were injured. “The explosives were planted in a motorcycle parked in the area,” added the DC.
Similarly, another bomb blast occurred outside the election office of Jamiat-Ulema Islam-Pakistan in the Qilla Saifullah area, claiming the lives of eight people and injuring 12 others. The blast occurred near the election office of JUI-F leader Maulana Abdul Wasay, with the injured being shifted to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital.
According to the police, the blast took place outside the election office of JUI candidate Maulana Abdul Wasay, who was not present in the office at the time of the explosion. Following the incident, Pakistani forces cordoned off the area and launched an investigation into the incident.
The district’s DC Yasir Bazai confirmed that 12 people lost their lives, and 14 were wounded in the incident in Qilla Saifullah.
As of the filing of this report, no group or individual has claimed responsibility for these bombings.