Two blasts have been reported to have taken place on Wednesday, near the electoral candidates’ offices in Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan, killing 22 people
This development has raised security concerns over the election coming up on Thursday.
In the midst of escalating terrorist attacks in recent months and the imprisonment of Imran Khan, the victor of the most recent national election, who has been making headlines despite the country’s economic crises and other problems endangering its nuclear arsenal, Pakistan is preparing for election.
Authorities however, have given the assurance that they have boosted security at polling booths.
According to the province’s information minister, the first attack, which killed 12, took place at the office of an independent election candidate in Pishin district.
The second explosion happened in Qilla Saifullah, a town near the Afghan border, detonated near an office of Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI), a religious party that has previously been the target of militant attacks.
It was not immediately clear who was behind the attacks, even though several groups, including the Islamist militant Pakistani Taliban and separatist groups from Balochistan, oppose the Pakistani state and have carried out attacks in recent months.
The attacks came as political parties wrapped up their campaigning in the quiet period mandated by electoral rules the day before the election.
Chioma Kalu
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