One killed, several injured as multiple explosions rock Balochistan

At least one person was killed and four others were injured on Thursday after several blasts hit different parts of Balochistan including provincial capital Quetta, according to police.

In Quetta, the explosion took place in the Spinny Road area. Police have cordoned off the area and are ascertaining the nature of the blast, Geo News reported.

The explosions also took place in Naseerabad and Turbat districts of the province.

According to police, at least three people were injured when a hand grenade exploded at the Dera Allah Yar Bhatti gate area in Naseerabad and one person was injured in a grenade blast in Turbat's main market.

Bomb disposal squad and rescue teams have arrived at the site of a blast in Quetta where, according to police, at least one person has died in the explosion.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Quetta Tariq Jawad told the media that 8 to 10 kg of explosives were used in the blast in the provincial capital.

He said the deceased of the blast has not been identified yet, adding the preliminary investigation showed the victim was a passer-by.

The SSP further said that no election-related was underway near the site of the explosion.

The latest incidents come as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is scheduled to meet today (Thursday) to discuss the law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan amid an uptick in violence.

In a statement today (Thursday), a spokesperson of the ECO said the electoral body has sought an immediate report from the chief secretary and Balochistan police chief on multiple explosions in the province. 

The situation was further aggravated Wednesday as violence marred electioneering activities as multiple terrorist attacks in a row rocked various cities of Balochistan and KP resulting in several injuries.

A day earlier, Rehan Zeb Khan, an independent candidate for NA-8 and a member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was shot dead while canvassing in KP’s Bajaur district.

On Tuesday, a bomb attack on the PTI's election rally in Sibbi killed four people.

The uptick in violence sounded alarm over the country's security situation ahead of the general elections — scheduled to be held on February 8.

The deadly explosion came just a few days before the national-level polls, with political parties leading their electoral campaigns in full swing amid heightened security and deployment of law enforcers to ensure the law and order situation across the country.

With more than 128 million voters, various circles have raised concerns over the deteriorating security situation in the country, especially in the aforementioned provinces, with some lawmakers even moving the Senate seeking poll delay in light of security threats.