GWADAR: At least seven people, including a newly elected Union Council chairman, were killed in an explosion in Panjgur district on Monday evening, officials said.

Mohammad Ishaq, the Balga­tar UC chairman, was returning to his village along with six other people after attending a wedding when his vehicle was targeted by a roadside bomb at Chakar Bazaar in the border area of Turbat and Panjgur districts.

Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove confirmed to Dawn that Mr Ishaq’s vehicle was targeted using a “powerful landmine”.

A senior police official said the vehicle was badly damaged and all seven people died on the spot.

Security forces and rescuers later moved the bodies to Panjgur district hospital. According to the bomb disposal squad, the improvised landmine device was detonated with a remote control. “A search operation has been launched in the area to trace out the elements involved in the blast,” Mr Langove told Dawn. No group has claimed responsibility for the blast so far.The other victims were identified as Mohammad Ibrahim, Nazim, Fida Hussian, Sarfraz Ali, Safar Khan and Mohammad Qasim.

The UC chairman’s father, Yaqoob Balgatari, was also killed in a bomb attack, the minister recalled.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2023