Friday’s blast comes as Pakistan prepares for elections in January next year – while grappling with a political crisis, a crippled economy and a surge in terrorist violence fueled by the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021.
Balochistan Information Minister Jan Achakzai announced three days of mourning.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s least populous province, is also home to several militant groups fighting for independence or a greater share of the region’s mineral resources.
Hundreds of kilometers north, four people were killed when the roof of a mosque collapsed after a suicide attack in Hangu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
“Two terrorists armed with automatic firearms, hand grenades and suicide vests attempted to breach the mosque’s security,” senior district police officer Nisar Ahmed told AFP.
“They were stopped at the main entrance following which a shootout broke out. One of them detonated his vest while the other managed to enter the mosque hall through the window.”
