As general elections approach, the neighbouring nation, Pakistan, witnessed a series of grenade attacks targeting election offices and polling stations in Pakistan’s Makran division and Quetta on Tuesday, as reported by its national daily – Dawn.
Individuals riding motorcycles threw hand grenades at a government school in Killi Ahmedzai, located on the outskirts of Quetta, late in the evening on Tuesday. The grenade exploded in the courtyard of the school, designated as a polling station, according to Dawn’s report.
Law enforcement agencies thwarted an attack at a government school in Pasni, where an explosive device was found near the Bagh Bazaar Government School. Later, the bomb disposal squad defused the bomb.
#BREAKING
At least 5 killed, several others injured in a blast outside a candidate’s election office in southwestern Pakistan — local media – pic.twitter.com/0eSKMejEVJ #Balochistan #Pakistan #Pishin #PakistanElection— ⚡️🌎 World News 🌐⚡️ (@ferozwala) February 7, 2024
An office of the National Database and Registration Authority office was targeted with a grenade, causing damage to windows. No injuries were reported in the incident, Dawn reported.
Furthermore, a grenade attack was carried out on the residence of Balochistan National Party (Mengal) (BNP-M) candidate for the National Assembly Mir Mohammad Yaqoob in Awaran district. Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Mir Mohammad Aslam Buledi’s house was attacked in Buleda.
Two blasts were reported in Panjgur town, where the residence of National Party leader Abdul Qadeer Sajdi and the house of an independent candidate, Noor Baloch, was targeted. The two leaders remained unhurt in the attacks.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate Agha Gull survived a grenade attack at his residence. Furthermore, reports indicated an attack on a security forces post in the Tump area of Balochistan’s Kech, where a PRG-7 projectile was fired, causing an explosion near the post. No casualty was reported in the attack, according to Dawn report.
On Sunday, another bomb blast reportedly took place outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) office in Balochistan’s Nushki district, ARY News reported. However, no casualties have been reported so far.
In a statement, the police said that the explosive was detonated outside the ECP office’s gate. The inquiry into the nature of the explosion is ongoing, according to ARY News report.
The explosion outside the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) Karachi office has been noted, and reports from the District Monitoring Officer and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) South have been requested by the electoral watchdog.
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Meanwhile, as many as six people, including Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) workers, were injured on Friday in various hand grenade attacks in different towns of Balochistan. Several incidents of violence marred the pre-election atmosphere in Balochistan and Karachi as multiple hand grenade attacks and explosions targeted political entities and election-related offices.
