No Terrorist group immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks
Two bombings occurred in Pakistan at the election offices of a political party and an independent candidate, resulting in the deaths of at least 24 people and leaving more than two dozen others wounded on Wednesday. These attacks took place on the eve of parliamentary elections.
The initial attack occurred in Pashin, a district situated in Baluchistan province, as confirmed by provincial government spokesperson Jan Achakzai. Reports indicate that at least 14 individuals lost their lives in the attack, and the injured, including some in critical condition, are currently being swiftly transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
Another bombing occurred at the election office belonging to politician Fazlur Rehman’s Jamiat Ulema Islam party in the town of Qilla Saifullah, located in Baluchistan. This attack resulted in the deaths of at least 10 people, as reported by Achakzai and local authorities.
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No group has immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks. Caretaker Interior Minister Gohar Ejaz condemned the bombings.
The bombings occurred despite the deployment of tens of thousands of police and paramilitary forces across Pakistan to ensure peace, following a recent surge in militant attacks in the country, particularly in Baluchistan.
The outlawed Baluchistan Liberation Army (BLA) has been responsible for numerous attacks on security forces in Baluchistan, which shares borders with Afghanistan and Iran. Just last week, a faction of the separatist Baluchistan Liberation Army targeted security facilities in Baluchistan’s Mach district, resulting in the deaths of six individuals.
In recent years, Pakistan has faced significant challenges in controlling the surge of militancy, particularly in areas that were once strongholds of the Pakistan Taliban. Militants maintain a presence in Baluchistan and have frequently targeted civilians in the region.
The gas-rich Baluchistan province, situated on the border of Afghanistan and Iran, has been the site of a low-level insurgency by Baluch nationalists for over two decades. Initially, Baluch nationalists sought a share of the province’s resources, but their objectives later evolved towards independence, fueling the insurgency.
Additionally, the province is also host to a significant presence of Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups.