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At least 15 people were killed and over 30 injured in a suicide bombing outside a Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP) gathering in Quetta, an attack later claimed by the Islamic State (IS).
According to The Balochistan Post, the explosion occurred near Shahwani Stadium on Monday evening, shortly after the rally ended. The health officials confirmed that five of the wounded later succumbed to their injuries, while nearly 30 remain under treatment, as per The Balochistan Post. Some of the critically hurt may be transferred to Karachi for advanced care. Islamic State, through its media channels, identified the bomber as "Ali al-Muhajir" and declared BNP's nationalist and democratic politics as the reason for the attack. This was not the first such attempt against BNP leader Sardar Akhtar Mengal. A suicide bomber tried to target him in March during a sit-in protest in Mastung. Following Monday's blast, Mengal accused the state of negligence, claiming his security had been withdrawn despite repeated threats. He also alleged that the rally faced deliberate bureaucratic hurdles, as reported by The Balochistan Post. BNP has announced three days of mourning, with shops in Mengal's hometown, Wadh, remaining closed. Lawyers' groups across Makran, including the High Court Bar Association, boycotted court proceedings in solidarity. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) and the Baloch National Movement (BNM) denounced the attack as part of what they described as a systematic effort to stifle Baloch political expression. BNM leader Naseem Baloch said the bombing sent a chilling message to all Baloch factions, even those participating in parliamentary politics. Government officials, however, defended their actions. Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Hamza Shafqaat stated that authorities had warned BNP to end the rally early due to security threats and confirmed that 120 police personnel had been deployed. He added that stricter regulations, including a ban on political events after evening prayers, would now be enforced. Yet BNP leaders rejected the official stance, accusing the government of deliberate negligence. Many in Balochistan see the tragedy as evidence of the shrinking space for democratic politics in the province. Civil society groups have demanded an independent investigation into the Quetta blast and previous attacks on political rallies, according to The Balochistan Post. (ANI)
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