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       QUETTA: Security personnel inspect the site of a bomb blast, on Thursday.—AFP

       QUETTA: At least 10 bomb and grenade attacks rocked different areas of Balochistan on Thursday, resulting in the death of one man, a provincial government official confirmed.

       Several police stations and deputy commissioners’ offices were targeted in the attacks in which six people, including a police officer and a jail warden, were injured.

       “At least 10 bomb and grenade attacks happened across Balochistan, including provincial capital Quetta,” the senior official told Dawn.

       A bomb, placed along a footpath on the CPEC road in the Spinny area of Quetta, went off, killing a passerby, according to Quetta SSP (operations) Jawad Tariq.

       The intensity of the blast rocked several areas of the provincial capital, according to officials. The police cordoned off the area and shifted the body to Civil Hospital.

       Hospital officials said the victim’s body was mutilated due to his proximity to the bomb at the time of the blast.

       The deceased was identified as 84-year-old Abdul Khaliq Shah.

       SSP Tariq added that around 8kg of explosive was used in the improvised explosive device.

       The target of the bomb was unknown as there was no election campaign-related event scheduled within the vicinity, the SSP said, adding that security was already on high alert due to the upcoming elections.

       In another attack near Quetta’s outskirts, an assistant sub-inspector (ASI), Ghulam Raza, was injured.

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       Unknown attackers hurled a hand grenade at the Shalkot police station, which exploded in the courtyard.

       The attack damaged the station’s building and some vehicles in the parking area.

       The injured police officer was admitted to the Civil Hospital.

       In Mastung, the central prison was attacked by hand grenades, which exploded inside the jail, resulting in damage to the building.

       The jail warder was injured in the attack.

       In the attacks in Quetta, Khuzdar and Turbat, the offices of PML-N and National Party, and a joint office of BNP-M and JUI-F were targeted with grenades. However, no loss of life was reported.

       The offices of deputy commissioners in Dhadar and Panjgur were also targeted with hand grenades.

       One person was injured in another grenade attack on the house of the Kachhi deputy commissioner.

       In a blast in the Turbat market area, one person was injured while a grenade was also lobbed at police and FC posts, but no casualty was reported.

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       Unknown attackers also attacked the Hub City Police Station, while a grenade was recovered from the gate of the Pakistan Coast Guards Office, which could not explode.

       After the attacks, the Balochistan government tightened security in all cities and towns across the province.

       The Election Commission of Pakistan said it had taken notice of the attacks and sought detailed reports from the Balochistan inspector general of police and chief secretary.

       Condemnation

       Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri has strongly condemned the terrorist attacks and expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of life.

       She said the enemy wants to sabotage peace and order, which will not be allowed to succeed under any circumstances.

       The senator hailed the security forces, whom she said prevented the terrorists from carrying out major attacks.

       She also paid tribute to the deceased and injured, saying they demonstrated bravery.

       Senator Zehri claimed that the new wave of terrorism across the country was part of “a well-thought-out plan”, and the whole nation was united to thwart these cowardly acts.

       Behram Baloch in Gwadar, Abdul Wahid Shahwani in Khuzdar and Ali Jan Mangi in Dera Murad Jamali also contributed to this report

       Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2024