Criminals attack electoral offices with grenades in the Mastung and Qalat districts
- The NP office was attacked on Mastung's Muhammad Shahi Road.
- Miscreants attack PPP election office in Mangocher, Qalat.
- A large contingent of LEA deployed after the grenade attacks.
QUETTA: Ahead of the much-awaited national elections scheduled for February 8, miscreants attacked the election offices of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and National Party (NP) in Balochistan on Sunday.
Two grenade explosions are raising the alarm over security measures ahead of next month's general election and election campaigns by all political parties are in full swing across the country.
In the run-up to elections in Pakistan, a disturbing trend is emerging with violence infiltrating the political sphere. Politicians find themselves in the crosshairs, subjected to threats and attacks.
Unknown men threw a grenade at the Nationalist Party (NP) electoral office in Mastung district, leaving two people injured following the explosion on Muhammad Shahi Road, police said, noting that the attackers managed to flee the scene.
The injured were immediately taken to hospital, police said. Police officers began a search operation in the area to capture the culprits.
The NP spokesperson condemned the “cowardly” grenade attack on his party's electoral office, adding that they will not give up due to such “cowardly acts” and will further accelerate the election campaign.
The party also demanded the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to replace the superintendent of police (SP) besides taking strict action against local authorities for security lapse; Otherwise, the party reserves the right to register a strong protest.
In another incident, unidentified miscreants attacked a PPP election office with a hand grenade in Qalat district. In the incident that occurred today in the Mangocher area, no victims were reported.
According to Levies, the grenade explosion occurred near a closed PPP electoral office located in Mangocher market.
Numerous contingents of law enforcement forces were deployed to the area and began a search operation.
On Thursday, a police officer was killed in an armed attack by unidentified men against the electoral commission's regional office in Turbat. The police repelled the attack after a shootout with the attackers who tried to enter the ECP office.
During the encounter, a police officer, identified as Namrooz, laid down his life in the line of duty and foiled the militants' plot.
Unable to enter the ECP office, the gunmen threw a hand grenade into the office. Fortunately, no one was injured after the explosion.
An NP convoy was attacked last Sunday in the town of Dasht in Kech district, but fortunately there were no casualties, officials confirmed.
The attacks come as the country has witnessed a significant rise in terrorist attacks and last year terrorism-related casualties reached the highest number in six years, with more than 1,500 civilians, security forces and militants killed, according to the Islamabad-based Research Center. and Security Studies (CRSS).
