QUETTA: At least four people, including three PTI workers, were killed and six others wounded in a powerful bomb explosion in Sibi town on Tuesday, when a candidate’s election rally was passing through the area, a party spokesman and police officials said.

Police said it seemed like explosive mat­erial was planted in a motorbike, parked near the main Jinnah Road roundabout, though bomb disposal squad officials have yet to determine the nature of the blast.

Officials said the election rally in support of Saddam Tareen, a PTI-backed candidate for the National Assembly seat NA-253 (Ziarat), was passing through the area at the time of the explosion. They said two people died on the spot and eight others suffered injuries, who were rushed to Sibi district hospital.

“The death toll of the blast has climbed to four with the demise of two injured at the hospital,” said the medical superintendent of the Civil Hospital, Sibi. He said two other injured were shifted to combined military hospital, as their condition was serious.

PTI-backed Saddam Tareen’s procession was passing through the area when bomb went off

The deceased were identified as Hamad Khan, Abdul Wasey, Mohammad Rafiq and Zahid Hussian Lalozai. Meanwhile, Ronak Kumar, Sohrab Khan, Nadir Huss­ian, Khair Mohammad, Abdul Haseeb and Toheed Khan sustained injuries.

The explosion was so powerful that it not only shattered windows of nearby shops and other buildings, but destroyed at least four motorbikes.

Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies cordoned off the blast site and started an investigation.

Later, Sibi division commissioner Bas­hir Ahmed Bangulzai, senior local admi­nistration officials and police investigators inspected the site of the explosion.

PTI’s Balochistan chapter secretary general Salaar Khan Kakar condemned the attack on Saddam Tareen’s rally and demanded that authorities take action against terrorists instead of bearing down on party workers. He said that three of the deceased were PTI workers.

A spokesperson for the PTI said the party was taking part in the upcoming general elections, but the attack on PTI’s political rally just hours after Imran Khan’s conviction raised serious questions over the intent of non-state actors. It seemed they were aimed at sabotaging electoral process and therefore the government must tackle the challenge, he added.

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Ali Mardan Khan Domki, Home Minister Zubair Ahmed Jamali and Information Minister Jan Achakzai also condemned the explosion. The CM directed security agencies to take all possible steps for the arrest of culprits behind the blast. He also issued directives to the Sibi hospital officials to provide best medical treatment to the injured.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2024