Suicide bomb attack kills 52, leaves over 50 injured near a mosque in Balochistan
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Baluchistan: A suicide attack during a celebration marking the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed organised by a religious political party in Pakistan's Balochistan province has left at least 52 dead and over 50 injured.
The attacker targeted the deputy superintendent of police near a mosque where people were assembling for a procession.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, heightening concerns amid a surge in militant activities in the region. The Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan, an umbrella group of hardline Sunni Islamist factions, denied involvement. The bombing took place in Mastung, near Quetta, with casualties rushed to local hospitals. Among the deceased is senior police officer Mohammad Nawaz.
The blast comes in the wake of heightened security alerts as authorities feared potential attacks during gatherings commemorating Mawlid an-Nabi. The caretaker interior minister, Sarfraz Bugti, condemned the bombing as a "heinous act" targeting the peaceful procession.
The government had declared a national holiday for Mawlid an-Nabi, with leaders urging unity and adherence to the teachings of Islam's prophet.
While the Taliban, a close ally of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, seized power in Afghanistan in 2021, the TTP denied involvement in this attack. Balochistan has been a focal point for various insurgencies, including a low-level insurgency by Baluch nationalists for over two decades.
As Pakistan grapples with the aftermath of this devastating incident, questions about the broader security landscape and the looming national elections scheduled for January next year are likely to take centre stage.