Islamabad: As Pakistan gears up for the upcoming General Elections on February 8, a surge in violent incidents is casting a shadow over the electoral process. The latest episode unfolded on Sunday as a bomb blast rocked the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) office in Balochistan’s Nushki District.
Reported by ARY News, the blast occurred outside the ECP office gate, with fortunately no reported casualties. The police are actively investigating the incident, which follows a similar blast outside the ECP office in Karachi just last week.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) revealed that the explosive device in Karachi was concealed in a shopping bag near the ECP office’s wall in the red zone area. Notably, the SSP emphasized that the explosive substance did not contain ball bearings.
Law enforcement has cordoned off the affected areas, initiating efforts to apprehend those responsible. The Election Commission of Pakistan has taken note of the Karachi explosion and sought reports from the District Monitoring Officer and SSP South.
The troubling incidents extend beyond bombings, with multiple hand grenade attacks targeting political entities and election-related offices. In Balochistan, six individuals, including Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) workers, sustained injuries in various hand grenade attacks in different towns. In Kalat town’s Mughalsarai area, three PPP workers were injured when assailants on a motorcycle targeted the party’s election office with a grenade, according to Dawn.
As the pre-election atmosphere in Balochistan and Karachi remains tense, the general elections are scheduled to take place across Pakistan’s four provinces on February 8.
