A bomb placed on a motorcycle detonated at a rally in Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, according to police. The rally was in support of Imran Khan’s imprisoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
Pakistan is set to hold elections on February 8th, even though the blast occurred nine days before. “The blast incident has been taken into consideration, and an immediate report has been sought from the Chief Secretary and Police Chief of Balochistan,” stated the Pakistani Election Commission.
Senior police official Farhan Zahid told AFP, “The PTI rally was passing by there, but it’s unclear whether the rally was a target or not.”
A provincial health department spokeswoman, Waseem Baig, reported that six persons were injured in addition to the four fatalities. On social media, a video of the explosion has also been making the rounds. The PTI employees can be seen in the video to be in a state of chaos following the loud explosion at the area. “There has been an explosion in the election rally organized by the party’s candidate Saddam Tareen,” PTI leader Salar Khan Kakar declared. We urge that terrorists be defeated rather than PTI employees and vehemently denounce this incident.
Pakistan’s Election Commission declared it was looking into the matter.
Attackers struck within hours of PTI founder Khan receiving a ten-year prison sentence for allegedly leaking secret government secrets.
Khan and the PTI claim they are the targets of an unprecedented crackdown intended to keep them from winning the February 8 election and regaining power.
After being removed from office in 2022, the 71-year-old former cricket hero in Pakistan began a campaign of resistance against the country’s military rulers, claiming they were plotting to topple him as prime minister.
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