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At least two people were injured in a blast near the election office of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) in Khuzdar on Thursday night, DawnNewsTV reported.
According to police, unidentified miscreants targeted the campaign office of Agha Shakeel Durrani, the leader of BAP contesting elections from Khuzdar.
The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital for medical treatment where a state of emergency was imposed to treat the injured.
Know more: BAP promises good governance, stability
The blast was reportedly followed by intense firing. Police and personnel of other law enforcement agencies reached the spot as an investigation into the incident went underway.
Balochistan Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohsin Butt said terrorists are planning to sabotage election activities in the province.
"Islamic State (IS), Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LJ) and sub-nationalists are trying to sabotage election campaigns in Balochistan," he told DawnNewsTV.
However, he provided assurances that security had been tightened in the province to ensure peaceful conduct of the election.
Rising election violence
On July 10, a suicide blast claimed by the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), killed Awami National Party (ANP) leader Haroon Bilour and 19 others in Peshawar's Yaktoot area.
The blast took place when Bilour arrived at the site of a corner meeting. He suffered serious injuries and was shifted to Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) where he succumbed to his wounds.
“According to initial investigation, it was a suicide attack and Haroon Bilour... was the target,” said Additional Inspector General Shafqat Malik. He said that an initial probe suggested that a young boy blew himself up at the main entrance of the gathering when Bilour entered the venue.
Earlier on July 3, at least 10 people were injured following a blast in Razmak tehsil of North Waziristan at the election office of Malik Aurangzeb Khan, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)'s candidate from NA-48.
“A huge explosion happened when I was inaugurating my election office in Razmak city,” Malik Aurangzeb Khan said.
A large number of people suffered minor injuries in what was identified as a grenade attack, while 10 people with major injuries were shifted to a nearby hospital. There was no immediate claim by any militant groups for the blast.
Politicians face terror threat in run-up to polls
Besides, the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) has revealed the names of six personalities, including Imran Khan and Hafiz Saeed’s son, who could be targeted by terrorists during the ongoing election campaign.
“Six people include Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan, Awami National Party leaders Asfandyar Wali and Ameer Haider Hoti, Qaumi Watan Party head Aftab Sherpao, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl leader Akram Khan Durrani and Hafiz Saeed’s son Talha Saeed. Moreover, there are threats to the senior leadership of the Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz,” Nacta director Obaid Farooq said while briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Interior.
He said Nacta had forwarded 12 threat alerts to the federal interior and provincial home ministries as well as law enforcement agencies.
