30 killed in twin blasts in Pakistan's restive Balochistan day before the general election

PTI

Karachi, February 7

At least 30 people were killed and more than 40 injured on Wednesday in twin blasts targeting election offices in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province, a day before the general election in the coup-prone country.

In the first incident, a powerful blast outside the office of independent candidate Asfandyar Khan Kakar in Pishin district killed 20 people and wounded 30 others.

Less than an hour later, another blast took place outside the election office of a Jamiat-Ulema Islam-Pakistan in the Killa Abdullah area claiming the lives of 10 people and injuring 22 others, officials said.

No group or individual claimed responsibility for the twin blasts.

Abdullah Zehri, a senior police official in Balochistan Panjgur, said the blast outside the election office of candidate Asfandyar Khan Kakar was detonated remotely and the explosive was placed in a bag outside the building.

"The condition of some of the injured is critical and they have been rushed to Quetta,” he said.

"Terrorists are targeting the election candidates to deter people from going to the polling stations but security personnel are being increased further to ensure the elections go ahead on schedule,” Zehri said.

According to local media reports, the powerful blast had ripped through the election office of a JUI candidate in the Killa Abdullah area and caused great damage.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) confirmed the two blasts and said security had been further enhanced in the province for Thursday's elections.

"The perpetrators of these terror attacks will be caught and dealt with,” a spokesperson of the ECP said.

The deputy commissioner of Pishin district, Jumma Dad Mandokhail, said that the condition of some of those injured in the blast was critical and they have been airlifted to Quetta.

Pishin is around an hour's drive from provincial capital Quetta.

“We have sent 18 dead bodies to the hospital while 32 others were taken with injuries to hospitals,” he said.

But a doctor at the Pishin government hospital said they had 20 dead bodies in the mortuary.

Mandokhail said the bomb was attached to a motorbike and it was left near the election office of independent candidate, Asfandyar Khan Kakar, and was detonated remotely.

Kakar is contesting the elections for a provincial assembly seat from Pishin and was not present when the blast took place.

Deputy Commissioner in Killa Abdullah, Yasir Bazai, said the blast outside the Jamiat-Ulema Islam-Pakistan election office was also carried out in a similar fashion.

In a statement, Balochistan's Home Minister Jan Achakzai condemned the attacks and announced that elections would be held as per schedule. 

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