QUETTA: A man was killed after back-to-back remote-controlled blasts near an under-construction watchtower in the Khost town of Harnai district on Friday.

The man was critically injured in the first blast and later died of his wounds. When labours working nearby gathered around the explosion site, another blast occurred, though no loss of life was reported.

Officials said unidentified miscreants used an improvised explosive device (IED) for the blasts.

“The IED was planted close to the under-construction watchtower,” a Levies official said, adding that a civilian, identified as Zhob’s resident Muhammad Usman, lost his life after being critically injured.

He was taken to a hospital in Harnai but died of his wounds before getting any treatment.

Soon after the blast, security officials and coal miners working in a nearby field rushed to the site. As they gathered there, another blast took place. However, no loss of life was reported in the second blast.

“It seems the miscreants detonated both IEDs with a remote control,” a Levies official said, adding that an investigation into the incident was underway.

The under-construction watchtower was partially damaged. Security forces have launched a search operation in the area to trace the elements.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2023