• Suicide bomber blows himself during search near rally
• Akhtar Mengal, BNP-M leadership unharmed: govt spox.
• Party to continue sit-in at Lak Pass till demands met.

MASTUNG: A suicide bomber reportedly tried to target a Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) rally near Mastung’s Lak Pass area, the police said on Saturday.

Providing details of the incident, the police have said that the suicide blast occurred when a volunteer stopped a suspicious individual near the BNP-M protest who then blew himself up during the search. The extent of the damage are being assessed, said the authorities.

The incident comes as the country’s largest province, in terms of land covered, has been witnessing deteriorating law and order with various terrorist attacks in recent weeks.

The attack came days after terrorists killed at least eight people— four labourers and four police personnel in Kalat and Noshki districts last week.

While, at least five passengers were killed just two days ago when armed men offloaded and executed them after intercepting a Karachi-bound bus in Gwadar’s Kalmat area.

In another incident recently, at least five people, including three Frontier Corps (FC) soldiers, were martyred and 35 others wounded in an explosion on a paramilitary convoy on the Nushki-Dalbandin highway.

Before that, dozens of militants, affiliated with the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), blew up a railway track and assaulted Jaffar Express, carrying more than 440 passengers — who were taken hostage.

The security forces, after a complex clearance operation, neutralised 33 attackers and rescued the hostage passengers.

Apart from five operational casualties, as many as 26 passengers were martyred by the terrorists, of which 18 were security personnel belonging to the Pakistan Army and the Frontier Corps (FC), three were officials from Pakistan Railways and other departments, and five were civilians.

Also, three FC personnel were martyred in the militants’ attack targeting a picket before the train ambush.

The province is also facing socio-political turmoil following the arrest of Balcoh Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leaders including Dr Mahrang Baloch — currently held at the Quetta District Jail under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance — for alleged involvement in a chaotic attack on the Civil Hospital and forcibly taking the bodies of attackers from the Jaffer Express train bombing.

The BYC leaders face various charges including terrorism, murder, attempted murder, incitement to violence and rebellion, creating disorder, promoting racial hatred and damaging property.

Today’s blast seemingly targeted BNP-M protest led by former lawmaker Akhtar Mengal — who is leading a long march against the crackdown against BYC activists.

The party has said that their march has been prevented from proceeding to Quetta and Mengal would announce the next course of action in a press conference later in the day.

Till then, the party added, their sit-in would continue at Lak Pass till their demands were met.

Meanwhile, Balochistan government spokesperson, Shahid Rind, confirmed that BNP-M chief Mengal, along with the party’s leadership and protest participants, remained unharmed in the attack.

According to the Balochistan government spokesperson, the suspected suicide bomber detonated himself near the site. 

The Balochistan government had been in contact with BNP leadership since last night to ensure their safety, he said, urging the party to remain peaceful and warning that hostile elements might seek to exploit the situation.

A BNP-M delegation had met with the administration the previous night, while a government delegation also agreed to meet Mengal today. The government urged Mengal and his party members to cooperate with authorities, emphasising that dialogue would help improve the situation.

The spokesperson added that the sit-in near Lak Pass had been halted the previous day, and communication between the government and Mengal’s party had taken place in the vicinity. Government representatives remain in contact with Mengal and his party leadership today as well.