PISHIN: A devastating blast near the election office of PB-47 Independent candidate Asfandiyar Kakar in PB-47 Pishin, Balochistan, claimed the lives of at least 14 individuals, with 30 others sustaining injuries ahead of the 2024 general election.
According to Deputy Commissioner Juma Dad, the explosion, believed to have originated from a bomb planted on a motorcycle, occurred in close proximity to the election office, resulting in the tragic loss of 14 lives and leaving dozens critically injured. Law enforcement agencies swiftly cordoned off the area, while the wounded were promptly transported to a nearby hospital for urgent medical attention.
Earlier, another bomb blast was reported outside the office of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in Nushki District, Balochistan. Police officials indicated that the explosive device was placed near the ECP office gate; fortunately, no casualties were reported from this incident.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has initiated an inquiry into the Pishin blast, requesting reports from the Inspector General of Balochistan and the chief secretary.
This unfortunate event adds to a series of violent incidents across Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Within a day, six fatalities and 13 injuries were reported from Sibi, Quetta, Chaman, and Bajaur district.
In a separate incident, political unrest manifested in armed attacks targeting locations such as Chaman and Quetta, resulting in the death of a political activist and injuries to four others. Unidentified assailants targeted the Awami National Party (ANP) office in Chaman, claiming the life of party activist Zahoor Ahmed and injuring another worker.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had previously identified approximately 50% of polling stations nationwide as either 'sensitive' or 'most sensitive'. In Balochistan alone, out of the total 961 polling stations, 2,337 were classified as 'sensitive' and 1,730 as 'most sensitive'.
