Local officials reported on Wednesday that two explosions occurred near the offices of election candidates in Balochistan, southwest Pakistan, killing 24 people and raising security concerns on the eve of the scheduled voting tomorrow. Pakistanis are heading to the polls amid media focus on the conviction and imprisonment of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, the winner of the last general elections, despite the ongoing economic crisis and other issues threatening the nuclear-armed nation. Authorities stated they have enhanced security measures at polling stations.
The first explosion, which killed 12 people, took place at the office of an independent candidate in the Pishin area. The second explosion occurred in the town of Qilla Saifullah, near the Afghan border, close to the office of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party, a religious party that has previously been targeted by militant attacks, according to the provincial information minister. It is still unclear who was responsible for the attacks. Several groups, including the Pakistani Taliban and separatist factions from Balochistan, oppose the government and have carried out attacks in recent months.
A spokesperson for the election commission issued a statement requesting the chief administrative officer of Balochistan and the provincial inspector general to "provide immediate reports and take action against those behind these incidents." A hospital near the site of the Pishin blast reported a death toll of 12 and over twenty injuries. Jumma Dad Khan, the deputy commissioner of the Pishin district, noted that many individuals were injured due to the explosion.
The attack follows the conclusion of political parties' election campaigns late Tuesday before the pre-voting silence mandated by Pakistani regulations. Imran Khan, the imprisoned former prime minister, urged his supporters on Wednesday to wait outside polling stations after casting their votes tomorrow. Meanwhile, competing political parties organized large rallies to mark the end of the campaigning period. Any large gathering of Khan's supporters near polling stations may heighten tensions due to claims of a military-backed campaign against him and his party. The military has denied intervening in politics.
Khan, in a post on the X social media platform accompanied by an undated photo showing him in simple black attire, encouraged as many people as possible to vote and to wait peacefully outside the election officer’s office until the final results are announced. It is unclear where the photo was taken; it is the first of Khan in months. Previously, Khan's supporters widely circulated his messages, including using AI to transform notes conveyed through attorneys during prison visits into lengthy speeches.
