Explosion in Pakistan kills four, wounds 14

At least four people were killed and 14 wounded in an explosion in Pakisan’s Balochistan province on February 26 morning, police and health officials said.

Barkhan District Health Officer Dr Abdul Hameed confirmed the death toll to Dawn.com, adding that the injured persons had been moved to the Rakhni Hospital.

According to Barkhan Deputy Commissioner Abdullah Khoso, the blast occurred when an improvised explosive device (IED), planted on a motorcycle, exploded.

Khoso said the police have arrived at the site and cordoned it off. “Teams have begun collecting evidence from the site,” he added.

Unverified videos making the rounds on social media show volunteers carrying bloodied victims away as a crowd gathers at the purported site of the blast. Mangled motorcycles and charred vegetables can be seen strewn about on the road.

There was no claim of responsibility as yet.

The blast comes on the heels of attacks in KP and areas bordering Afghanistan. Since the talks with the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) broke down in November last year, the militant group has intensified its attacks while insurgents in Balochistan have also stepped up their violent activities and formalised a nexus with it.