26 killed, several injured in two blasts in Balochistan before the general elections

According to Dawn, two consecutive blasts that rocked Balochistan on Wednesday resulted in at least 26 deaths and numerous injuries. The first explosion happened in front of Asfandyar Kakar’s Pishin election office, according to the police. Kakar is an independent candidate. In the elections scheduled for February 8, Kakar is reportedly running for office in the NA-265 seat and the PB-47 and PB-48 Balochistan Assembly seats.

However, not long after the initial attack, there was a second blast reported in Qila Saifullah. Yasir Bazai, the deputy commissioner for the city, had earlier reported that the explosion, which happened outside the JUI-F election office, claimed the lives of twelve people. According to the hospital’s MS, Dr. Habib, the bodies have also been moved, and the injured individuals were taken to Tehsil Hospital Khanozai, Geo News was informed. Most of the injured, according to Dr. Habib, are in critical condition.

Following the explosion, all Quetta hospitals have been placed under emergency protocol, and more staff has been called in, the provincial health secretary told Geo News. Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, denounced the “terrorism” incident in Pishin after the attacks and said that those responsible for the plot should face consequences, Dawn reported.

“Targeting innocent people is a barbaric act,” the former foreign minister said.
He further said that the federal and Balochistan governments should identify the elements involved and bring them to justice.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief and sorrow over the lives lost in two blasts in Pishin and Qila Saifullah in Balochistan, as reported by Dawn.
“These cowardly terrorist attacks a few hours before the elections cannot dampen our spirits,” he said.