The death toll from a suicide bombing at an election rally in Pakistan’s southwest has risen to 128, a government official has confirmed.
Provincial caretaker Home Minister Agha Umar Bungalzai says about 300 people were also wounded today when the bomber targeted a rally for candidate Siraj Raisani, who was running for a seat in the provincial legislature.
The attack took place in Mastung, a town in the southwestern Baluchistan province and lead to Awami Party candidate Mr Raisani’s death.
Mr Raisani died at a hospital in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province, hours after being critically wounded.
The attack was the deadliest yet ahead of the July 25 parliamentary election and it came despite assurance from the military that it would take all possible measures to ensure a peaceful environment for the vote.
ISIS has since claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the Aamaq news agency.
It comes amid news a plane carrying disgraced former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz landed at Allama Iqbal International Airport in the eastern city of Lahore.
Mohamed Zahid, an official at the airport, said officials from Pakistan’s anti-graft body are present at the airport to arrest Sharif and his daughter who were convicted and sentenced in absentia to ten and seven years, respectively, in a corruption case.
The attack took place in Mastung, a town in the southwestern Baluchistan province and lead to Awami Party candidate Mr Raisani’s death. Picture: EPA
Sharif and his daughter are expected to be transported to the garrison city of Rawalpindi, where both will serve their jail term if they don’t seek bail.
The pair arrived from London, where they were visiting Sharif’s ailing wife when a Pakistani court convicted them of corruption.
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