Nine Killed, several Injured in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan election violence

At least nine individuals lost their lives, and more than a dozen sustained injuries in a series of violent events on Thursday, spanning Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan district and various districts of Balochistan, according to Dawn.

In Dera Ismail Khan, an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion within the Kulachi police station’s jurisdiction resulted in the martyrdom of five police personnel, with two others injured. The incident unfolded during a police vehicle’s patrol in the Gara Aslam area of Kulachi designated for election security. Militants ambushed the vehicle, leading to casualties. A police official revealed that, along with the IED, the militants opened fire on the vehicle, escaping when additional police forces reached the scene. The area was promptly cordoned off, initiating a search operation, and the martyred and injured were transported to the district headquarters hospital, as reported by Dawn. The personnel who lost their lives were identified as Sulman Yousaf, Sabir, Israr Ahmad, Ali Muhammad, and Driver Zeeshan, while the injured were Jan Dost and Mushtaq.

Simultaneously, polling stations in Gwadar, Kech, and Panjgur districts of Balochistan encountered grenade and rocket attacks, resulting in the deaths of five police officers connected to the D.I. Khan blast. Furthermore, the death toll reached 30 in Khanozai and Qila Saifullah due to bomb explosions.

Balochistan Minister for Information Jan Achakzai confirmed the death toll and highlighted that the Islamic State (Wilayah Pakistan) claimed responsibility for targeting the election office of an independent candidate in Khanozai, as reported by Dawn.

Amid the turmoil, polling in central, southern, and northern districts proceeded peacefully with enhanced security measures. These incidents underscore the challenges faced during the election process in specific regions, emphasizing the imperative for increased security measures and vigilance to safeguard citizens and electoral proceedings.