QUETTA: At least 100 people have been killed and 150 injured in an attack on the convoy of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) leader Siraj Raisani in Darengarh area of Mastung, Quetta.
Raisani’s convoy was targeted shortly after he attended a corner meeting in the said area.
The BAP leader succumbed to the injuries when he was being shifted to a hospital.
Da’ish has claimed the responsibility of the attack.
Raisani was a younger brother of Nawab Aslam Raisani, former chief minister of Balochistan. He was contesting elections from provincial assembly constituency PB-35.
Soon after the attack, security forces cordoned off the area and started rescue operation. An emergency was imposed in all government hospitals of Quetta.
Earlier, Raisani had lost his 14-year old son in 2011 Mastung stadium attack.
Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa expressed grief over the death of the BAP leader saying “Pakistan has lost a brave leader”.
President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk condemned the attack in separate statements. Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also condemned the attack in his statement,.
Caretaker Balochistan Chief Minister Alauddin Marri termed the attack as a conspiracy to de-rail the upcoming general elections.
This is the third terrorist attack on a candidate ahead of the general elections 2018 scheduled to be held on July 25. Earlier in the day, four people were killed and 39 injured in an attack on the convoy of former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister and Jamiat-Ulema-Islam (F) leader Akram Khan Durrani in Bannu. On July 10, Awami National Party (ANP) leader Haroon Bilour was assassinated in a suicide attack.
