Local cops told Dawn that Mastung’s Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nawaz Gashkori was among those killed. The suspected suicide bomber reportedly detonated the device near the on-duty police official’s car while the latter was inside it.

Islamabad: At least 52 people were killed and more than 100 wounded Friday by a “suicide blast” near a mosque in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, local media reported. The explosion happened in the Mustang district of the southwestern province as people gathered for a religious procession marking the birthday of Prophet Mohammed, Pakistan’s Dawn reported citing the assistant commissioner of Mastung district.

Local cops told Dawn that Mastung’s Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nawaz Gashkori was among those killed. The suspected suicide bomber reportedly detonated the device near the on-duty police official’s car while the latter was inside it.

Balochistan interim Information Minister Jan Achakzai said rescue teams have been dispatched to Mastung. As per Dawn, the minister said that the critically injured persons are being taken to Quetta and that an emergency has been imposed in all the hospitals.

“The enemy wants to destroy religious tolerance and peace in Balochistan with foreign blessings,” Achakzai was quoted as saying by Dawn. “The explosion is unbearable,” he added.

He further said caretaker Chief Minister Ali Mardan Domki has instructed the authorities to arrest those responsible for the blast. Meanwhile, as per the report, PTI leader Imran Ismail strongly condemned the blast. He said, “Those who end innocent lives are oppressors and terrorists.”

Videos on social media showed bodies strewn across the road and severed limbs lying around. The area has been cordoned off and relief and rescue operations are in progress.

Earlier this month, at least 11 people were injured in a blast in the same district. Pakistan faced the highest number of attacks in August this year, tallying the highest monthly strikes since 2014.

According to an Islamabad-based think tank, Pakistan saw 22 suicide attacks in the first eight months of 2023, in which 227 people were killed and 497 injured.