A policeman was martyred in a blast near the Sultan Ibrahim Road in Balochistan’s Khuzdar on Sunday, police said.

Khuzdar Station House Officer (SHO) Abdullah Pindrani told Dawn.com that the deceased officer was identified as Murad Jamot. He was posted as the SHO of the Counter Terrorism Department in the city.

“As per initial reports, a magnetic bomb was planted in Jamot’s vehicle,” SHO Pindrani said, adding that further investigation was under way.

Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mir Hussain Lehri said a passerby was also injured in the incident. The wounded and deceased were moved to the District Headquarter Hospital Khuzdar.

The blast site has been cordoned off by police and Frontier Corps personnel, he added.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar strongly condemned the blast and expressed grief and sorrow over the martyrdom of the SHO. Kakar ordered that the injured be provided with medical treatment.

The premier said that such cowardly activities could not deter the high morale of the country’s security forces. “The entire nation pays tribute to those who have been sacrificing their lives in the fight against terrorism,” he added.

Interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti strongly condemned the incident, vowing that the “blood of martyrs in the war against terrorism will not go in vain”.

“Terrorists want to sabotage peace in Balochistan by targeting the security forces,” he said, adding that terrorists would not succeed as Pakistan’s forces were determined to eradicate the menace of terrorism.

Earlier, caretaker Balochistan Chief Minister Ali Mardan Khan Domki sought a report on the blast and directed officials to conduct an in-depth investigation.

Attacks on security forces deployed for the protection of people are highly condemnable, he said, directing the police to immediately arrest the perpetrator. CM Domki also extended condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for their patience.

Separately, PPP chairman and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari condemned the blast and expressed heartfelt condolences with the deceased officer’s family.

“The nation will never forget the sacrifice of martyred SHO Murad,” he said in a statement issued by the PPP, adding that the sacrifices of police officers and security personnel in the war against terrorism were eternal.

Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities in recent months, especially in KP and Balochistan, after the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan ended its ceasefire with the government in November last year.

Earlier this week, a person was killed and three others, including two police personnel, were injured in a bomb blast in the Sohbatpur district.

According to data released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), the country experienced 34 per cent increase in anti-state violence last month.

It revealed that KP emerged as the most affected province, documenting 51 attacks, causing 54 fatalities and 81 injuries. Meanwhile, Balochistan recorded nine attacks, resulting in 18 fatalities, including that of 15 security forces personnel and three civilians.

This is a developing story that is being updated as the situation evolves. Initial reports in the media can sometimes be inaccurate. We will strive to ensure timeliness and accuracy by relying on credible sources, such as concerned, qualified authorities and our staff reporters.