Mannat Saini, Pune
The Media Coordinator of the Health Department
in Balochistan province confirmed on Saturday night local time that suicide
blasts in the southwestern city of Mastung in Pakistan have claimed the lives of at least 60 individuals. These incidents unfolded during a religious procession in the Mastung district, leaving an additional 50 wounded, as revealed by Assistant Commissioner Atta Ul Munim in an interview with CNN on Friday.
As the day wore on, another bombing event unfolded, this time near Peshawar City in the
northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Amidst the sacred atmosphere of Friday
prayers, a separate blast unfolded, resulting in the loss of at least 4 lives and leaving 11 others
injured. The impact was so severe that the mosque’s roof collapsed and the true extent of this tragedy
remains unclear.
Assistant Commissioner Ul Munim disclosed that the explosion was indeed a suicide attack,
specifically targeting a senior police officer who regrettably lost his life in the incident. The
critically wounded victims were swiftly transported to hospitals in the regional capital of Quetta,
while others received medical attention at the local hospital in Mastung, as relayed by Ul Munim.
Jan Achakzai, the information minister of the province, shared that the deceased victims’ bodies
were also transferred to a hospital. He expressed concern, cautioning that the casualty count is
expected to rise, further amplifying the magnitude of this calamity.
As of now, no organization has come forward to claim responsibility for the two explosions.
These incidents occurred during a tense period in Pakistan, marked by a surge of militant
attacks, as the nation braced itself for the upcoming general elections scheduled for January.
The absence of a claimant leaves the origins and motives behind these devastating acts
shrouded in uncertainty, adding to the already prevailing atmosphere of unrest. Pakistani
officials have alleged India’s RAW to be (Research and Analysis Wing) involved in the attack as
claimed by minister Sarfaraz Bugti; however, there is little to no evidence to prove the alleged
involvement.