Blast mars Pakistan polls
Suicide bomb attack kills 31 and injures dozens at polling station as Pakistanis cast their votes in nationwide election.
ISLAMABAD: A suicide bomber struck outside a crowded polling station in Pakistan’s southwestern city of Quetta, killing 31 people as Pakistanis cast ballots in a general election meant to lead to the nation’s third consecutive civilian government.
The attack in Quetta, the provincial capital of Baluchistan, also wounded 35 people and several were reported to be in critical condition, raising concerns the death toll could rise further, according to hospital official Jaffar Kakar, a doctor.
A witness who was waiting to cast his ballot, Abdul Haleem, said he saw a motorcycle drive into the crowd of voters just seconds before the explosion. Haleem’s uncle was killed in the blast.
“There was a deafening bang followed by thick cloud of smoke and dust and so much crying from the wounded people,” he said.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for yesterday’s bombing.
Baluchistan also saw the worst violence during election campaigning earlier this month, when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a political rally, killing 149 people, including the candidate Siraj Raisani. Another 400 were wounded. Voting in that constituency has been suspended.
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for that attack, though Baluchistan has seen relentless attacks, both by the province’s secessionists and Sunni militants who have killed hundreds of Syiah followers living there.
In recent years, the IS affiliate in the region has emerged as a major force behind violence, often using local Sunni radicals from the outlawed Lashkar-e-Jhangvi to carry out its attacks.
Citing security concerns, Pakistan’s election commission announced that internet and cellphone services in several Baluchistan districts have been suspended. Election commission secre- tary Babar Yaqub said that threats against polling stations, staff and even candidates have been received.
Militants on Tuesday lobbed grenades and opened fire at a military convoy escorting election staffers and voting material in Baluchistan’s district of Turbat, killing four troops.
At the request of the election commission, Pakistan’s military deployed 350,000 troops countrywide at polling stations.
Also yesterday, police said a shooting between supporters of two opposing political parties killed one person and wounded two in a village near the northwestern city of Swabi.
Later, more clashes between rival political parties killed another person and wounded 15 across the country. — AP