QUETTA, Pakistan (BN24) — A suicide bomber detonated explosives outside a political rally in southwestern Pakistan late Tuesday, killing at least 13 people and wounding more than 30 others, authorities said Wednesday, marking one of the deadliest attacks in the insurgency-plagued region in recent months.
Police chief Majeed Qaisrani said the explosion struck near a graveyard on the outskirts of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, as supporters of the Balochistan National Party (BNP) were leaving a stadium following a rally. He confirmed that body parts of the attacker were recovered at the blast site.
Hospital spokesman Waseem Baig said at least 13 bodies were brought to Quetta Civil Hospital, while dozens of the wounded remained in critical condition.
The rally was organized to commemorate the anniversary of veteran nationalist leader Sardar Ataullah Mengal, a former provincial chief minister. BNP leader Akhtar Mengal, a frequent critic of the federal government, was not harmed in the attack, though police confirmed some of his supporters were among the casualties.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing. Baloch separatist groups and the Pakistani Taliban have previously carried out attacks in the region, often targeting government officials, security forces, or gatherings linked to political leaders.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti condemned the attack as a “cowardly act of the enemies of humanity,” vowing a high-level probe and directing authorities to provide the best possible medical care for the injured.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, speaking in Islamabad, also denounced the bombing, alleging without evidence that “India-backed terrorists and their facilitators” were responsible for attempting to destabilize Pakistan by targeting civilians. Pakistan’s government has often accused New Delhi of supporting separatist and militant groups in the country, charges India has consistently denied.
Balochistan, rich in natural resources, has long witnessed a simmering separatist insurgency led by groups such as the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army, which demand independence from the central government. While authorities claim the insurgency has been largely contained, sporadic violence continues to strike the province.
The attack comes amid a broader surge in militant violence across Pakistan. On Wednesday, gunmen killed five Sunni Muslims when they opened fire on a vehicle in Kurram, a district in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, before fleeing into nearby mountains. A day earlier, militants attempted to storm the paramilitary Federal Constabulary headquarters in Bannu, triggering a firefight that left six soldiers and five attackers dead, according to local police and the military.
The string of attacks underscores Pakistan’s ongoing struggle with insurgency and sectarian violence ahead of political rallies and events in volatile regions.
Associated Press
