Screengrab of the aftermath of the explosion in Quetta
At least 10 separate bomb and grenade attacks struck various parts of Balochistan on Thursday, causing the death of one man, and injuring three others.
In provincial capital Quetta, an explosion occurred in the Spinny Road area, with police cordoning off the area and initiating a probe to determine the nature of the blast. At least one person died due to the blast, with the bomb disposal squad and rescue teams rushing to the area.
Explosions also took place in the Naseerabad and Turbat districts of the province. According to local police, at least three people were injured after a hand grenade detonated at the Dera Allah Yar Bhatti gate area of Naseerabad, while another person was injured in a grenade blast in Turbat’s main market.
Quetta Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Tariq Jawad told media that at least 8-10kg of explosives were used in the blast in the provincial capital. He said the deceased—later identified as 84-year-old Abdul Khaliq Shah—was a civilian passerby. To a question, he clarified that no election-related activities were underway in the area when the explosion occurred.
In another attack near Quetta’s outskirts, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Ghulam Raza was injured after unidentified attackers hurled a hand grenade at the Shalkot Police Station, damaging the building and some vehicles in the parking area.
In Mastung, hand grenades were hurled at the central prison, detonating inside the jail, damaging the building and injuring a jail warder. Attacks were also reported from Khuzdar, Dhadar, and Panjgur but no injuries were reported.
An attack on the house of the Kachhi deputy commissioner injured one person, while unknown attackers also attacked the Hub City Police Station.
Following the spree of attacks, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said it had sought an immediate report from the chief secretary and Balochistan police chief on the incidents.
Earlier this week, a bombing also occurred at a PTI election rally in Sibi, killing four people.
Following the latest attacks, the Balochistan government tightened security in all cities and towns across the province.