QUETTA, Pakistan – In a tragic turn of events, at least 30 people lost their lives and 40 others were injured in two separate bomb explosions in the Balochistan province, one day before Pakistan’s general elections. These blasts occurred in the Killa Saifullah and Pishin districts, targeting an election office belonging to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) and the office of an independent candidate, respectively.
The Deputy Commissioner of Killa Saifullah, Yasir Bazai, reported that 12 people were killed and 18 others were injured in the first explosion, with four of the injured in critical condition. This attack took place 170 kilometers away from Quetta, where JUI candidates Maulana Samiul Haq and Maulana Abdul Wasay were contesting elections. The second blast near the office of independent candidate Asfand Yar Kakar resulted in 18 fatalities and 23 injuries, according to Deputy Commissioner Pishin Jumma Dad Mandokhail. The injured individuals from the Pishin blast were promptly taken to the hospital, as reported by Medical Superintendent Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Dr. Habib Ur Rehman.
Reports indicated that the explosives were planted on a motorcycle, and the Islamic State Pakistan Province (ISPP) claimed responsibility for the attacks, releasing a statement on an ISIS-affiliated news agency. In response to the tragedies, the Balochistan provincial government declared three days of mourning.
These incidents are a grim reminder of the rising tensions in Pakistan as the country gears up for its general elections. Violence has escalated, with candidates being targeted and killed while campaigning. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights raised concerns about the numerous attacks by armed groups against political parties. As Pakistan mourns the loss of lives from these bombings, the nation begins to grapple with the broader implications of such violence on its political landscape.