KARACHI, Feb 26 (PTI): A blast caused by an improvised explosive device planted on a motorcycle killed at least four people and left 14 others injured inside a market in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province on Sunday morning, police said.
The blast took place a day after two policemen were killed and another was injured in Balochistan’s Khuzdar district when an improvised explosive device (IED) went off while police personnel were patrolling the area.
Barkhan deputy commissioner Abdullah Khoso told the Dawn newspaper that the blast occurred in the Rakhni market area on Sunday morning when an IED planted on a motorcycle exploded.
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Barkhan Station House Officer Sajjad Afzal said the injured persons were admitted to a nearby hospital.
The official said a police team has reached the site and cordoned off the area for further investigations.
Unverified videos making the rounds on social media show volunteers carrying bloodied victims away as a crowd gathers at the purported site of the blast.
Mangled motorcycles and charred vegetables can be seen strewn about on the road.
No terrorist groups have claimed responsibility for the blast.
The blast comes on the heels of frequent terror attacks in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and areas bordering Afghanistan.
Since the talks with the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) broke down in November last year, the militant group has intensified its attacks while insurgents in Balochistan have also stepped up their violent activities and formalised a nexus with it.
Balochistan chief minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo has condemned the blast and directed the authorities to arrest the culprits.
“Those who shed the blood of innocent people are enemies of humanity,” he said.
“Terrorists are creating uncertainty to achieve their evil goals. But we won’t allow anti-state elements to succeed,” the chief minister said, promising that the government would adopt an effective counter-terrorism strategy.
The Balochistan province has experienced a surge in violent incidents in recent months, including bombings and targeted attacks, leading to heightened security measures and public safety concerns.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the blast and sought a report from the chief minister.
