Pakistan: Blast at BNP rally kills 14 in Quetta

Quetta: At least 14 people were killed and 35 others injured in a massive blast at a public rally of the Balochistan National Party (BNP) in Quetta, local media reported.

The casualties were reportedly confirmed by health officials at Civil Hospital Quetta.

The blast occurred near the Shahwani Stadium on Tuesday evening shortly after a gathering marking the fourth death anniversary of BNP founder Sardar Attaullah Mengal had concluded.

According to police officials, the explosion took place near the venue soon after the event ended, with initial reports indicating that it may have targeted the convoy of BNP chief Akhtar Mengal, who escaped unharmed, Pakistani daily The Express Tribune reported

After surviving the attack, Mengal took to his social media, stating, “Thank you for your prayers and messages. I am safe, but deeply heartbroken at the loss of our workers. Around 15 have been martyred and many injured. They stood by me and gave their lives for our cause. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten”.

Several human rights organisations on Wednesday strongly condemned the brutal attack targeting the political rally of the BNP.

Condemning the attack, which caused heavy casualties, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) sought an impartial inquiry into the incident immediately.

“We seek an immediate and impartial inquiry into the incident and reiterate our demand for the restoration of law and order in the province and the initiation of a purposeful dialogue between all stakeholders, leading to genuine political representation and the realization of rights, the right to life being the first to be protected,” read a statement issued by HRCP.

Paank, the Baloch National Movement’s Human Rights Department, described the horrific attack as Pakistan-sponsored and part of a broader genocidal policy intended to silence the Baloch people

“We believe such attacks are state-sponsored and part of a broader genocidal policy aimed at silencing the Baloch people and diverting attention from their legitimate demands,” Paank stated.

Another human rights body, Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ), denounced the deadly attack as a continuation of the Pakistani government’s oppression and an attempt to sabotage peaceful political activities through the patronage of Pakistan-backed death squads and Islamic State-Khorasan province (ISKP), an offshoot of the terror organisation ISIS.

According to BJV, a few months ago, ISIS had openly threatened to target Baloch nationalist leaders, particularly Sardar Akhtar Mengal and Mahrang Baloch, adding that the recent attack was a continuation of that alarming trend.

The rights body asserted that “targeting peaceful political activists and human rights leaders with bomb blasts is the worst form of ‘state terrorism’ and a blatant violation of human rights.”

The BVJ further stated that such attacks are “systematic attempts to silence democratic voices in Balochistan and crush political struggles, which cannot be accepted under any circumstances.”

IANS