QUETTA: Four laborers were killed while three others were injured in a blast that took place in Balochistan on Friday, a police official said, as Islamabad tackles growing insurgency in its southwestern province.
The blast took place in an apple orchard in Khad Kocha area located in Balochistan’s Mastung district. Khad Kocha is a mountainous area in Balochistan located at around 22 kilometers from Mastung city. Separatist militants have maintained a strong presence in Khad Kocha, where authorities have imposed a curfew since July 23 following repeated attacks on transporters, travelers and security forces.
“Four laborers were killed in the blast,” a senior police official told Arab News on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the press. “Three others were injured in the attack who were later shifted to the hospital.”
The official said police officials were investigating the nature of the blast, as there were reports that “something fell from the sky and caused the explosion.”
No group has claimed responsibility for the blast. However, separatist militant groups such as the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and the Pakistani Taliban have carried out deadly attacks targeting civilians and law enforcers in Balochistan in recent weeks.
Militants last Friday attacked Balochistan Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove’s convoy in the same Khad Kocha area while he was traveling from Kalat to Quetta following Independence Day celebrations. Six policemen escorting Langove were injured in the assault, while the minister escaped unhurt.
Pakistan has been grappling with surging militancy in the province that borders Iran and Afghanistan. In Pishin district, unidentified armed men attacked the Saranan police station on Thursday with rockets and explosives, destroying the building.
Islamabad blames New Delhi for supporting militant groups who carry out attacks in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provinces. Pakistan also accuses Afghanistan of facilitating militant outfits and allowing them to operate from Afghan soil.
India and Afghanistan both reject the allegations and urge Islamabad to resolve its security challenges by itself.
