At least 128 people, including Balochistan Awami Party leader Siraj Raisani, were killed and nearly 200 others injured in a suicide attack in Balochistan on Friday. It was the third such attack on candidates in the run-up to July 25 polls.
Caretaker provincial Home Minister Agha Umar Bangulzai confirmed the death toll to the Express News.
Siraj, the younger brother of former Balochistan Chief Minister Aslam Raisani, was attacked during a corner meeting organised for the promotion of his candidature. Siraj's death was confirmed by his brother Lashkari Raisani.
The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack through its newswire Aamaq.
After the incident, a large contingent of security forces cordoned off the area with the injured shifted to Civil Hospital Quetta, where an emergency was imposed.
In July 2011, Siraj Raisani lost his 14-year-old son in a terrorist attack in Mastung, in which several others, including security personnel, were killed.
Balochistan's Civil Defence Director Aslam Tareen said 16 to 20 kg of explosives and ball bearings were used in the attack.
Civil Hospital spokesperson Waseem Baig said the hospital received 53 bodies and 73 wounded. At least 20 of those injured were in critical condition.
The Mastung bombing was the latest, and deadliest, of a string of attacks targeting politically exposed persons ahead of the July 25 election.
Strongly condemning the attack, interim Chief Minister Balochistan Alauddin Murree directed Deputy Commissioner of Mastung to submit a report of the incident.
"The attack is a conspiracy to sabotage the electoral process in the province," he said in a statement.
Murree ordered the law enforcement agencies to ensure those behind the attack were apprehended.
Meanwhile, President Mamnoon Hussain and Interim Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk also condemned the attack in separate statements.
Earlier on Friday, a blast targeted former Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani's convoy in Bannu. While Durrani remained safe, four people were killed and 32 others injured in the attack.
The Election Commission of Pakistan has postponed polling for the constituency from where Siraj was contesting.
Earlier this week, a suicide blast had killed Awami National Party leader Haroon Bilour and 19 others in Peshawar.
The attack was owned up by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
Before that, on July 7, seven people, including a candidate of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, were injured when a convoy came under a bomb attack in Bannu.
There was also an attack on PTI candidate's office in North Waziristan's Razmak tehsil that had injured 10.
LS poll: Tripura Minister to reward polling stations recording highest vote percentage
Tripura Minister and senior BJP leader Ratan Lal Nath on Tuesday announced Rs 2 lakh reward for the polling stations in five Assembly constituencies which will record the highest percentage of votes in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
BJP winning 35 seats in Bengal will guarantee freedom from illegal infiltration: Amit Shah
If the BJP winning 18 seats in West Bengal during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls can ensure the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, bagging 35 seats this time will surely guarantee freedom from illegal infiltration,
CM Kejriwal, K Kavitha’s judicial custody extended in money laundering case till May 7
A Delhi court on Tuesday extended till May 7 the judicial custody of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and BRS leader, K Kavitha in the money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam case.
Polling to West Tripura PC: Returning Officer claims of free and fair election, says issues inquired and addressed
In response to various issues raised in the newspapers regarding election in 1-West Tripura Parliamentary constituency held on April 19 last, the Returning Officer assured that all the issues have been inquired and adequately addressed.
Misleading advertisements case: Issued public apologies across 67 newspapers, Patanjali tells SC
Patanjali Ayurved on Tuesday apprised the Supreme Court that it has issued public apologies for publishing misleading advertisements.
It is PM Modi's guarantee that all passengers will get confirmed tickets in next 5 years: Ashwini Vaishnaw
Union Railways and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Tuesday that in the next five years, it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's guarantee that almost any passenger who wants to travel can easily get a confirmed ticket.
PM Modi steps up attack on Congress, says ‘it wanted to bring quota on basis of religion’
Addressing a mega public rally in Rajasthan’s Tonk-Sawai Madhopur, PM Modi doubled down on his attack amid a series of accusations by the Congress.
DMs, SPs of violence-hit MP districts transferred
The farmers agitation entered its eighth day on Thursday. The peasants have been on strike since June 1, demanding loan waiver and fair price for their produce.