A bomb blast ripped through a rally of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Balochistan’s Sibi, killing upto four people and rendering serious injuries to many.
The rally was taken out in the backdrop of the looming elections slated for February.
Sources in the health department of Balochistan verified the casualties and injuries, emphasizing the critical condition of most victims and raising concerns about a potential rise in the death toll.
Security forces promptly reached the blast site, cordoning off the area, while a bomb disposal squad initiated the collection of evidence from the crime scene.
The blast, according to PTI, occurred during an election rally organized by party-backed candidate Saddam Tareen, who is contesting from the NA-253 (Ziarat) constituency.
The PTI revealed that three of its workers lost their lives, and seven others sustained injuries, with Saddam Tareen remaining unharmed.
Expressing condemnation for the incident on a social media platform X, the PTI called it a “criminal failure” on the part of both provincial and federal governments.
The party demanded a thorough investigation into the incident and urged accountability for any negligence by the supervising authorities.
Highlighting the absence of security despite a high alert, the PTI questioned why adequate measures were not taken to safeguard the rally.
On the government’s part, Caretaker Information Minister in Balochistan Jan Achakzai said expressed condolences to the families affected by the blast in Sibi and said the terrorists aimed to disrupt the election process and its results.
“Regardless of the actions of terrorists, the elections will proceed as planned. The rally in #Sibi, which was targeted by terrorists, will not discourage the Govt of Balochistan from conducting the elections,” he said in a long thread on X formerly Twitter.
He said the resilient people of Balochistan, by the grace of God, would ensure that at least 50 percent of the population actively participates in the voting process on February 8.
Simultaneously, the Election Commission of Pakistan, in response to the incident, announced that it had taken notice and summoned a detailed report from Balochistan’s chief secretary and police chief.
