- Suicide car blast leaves three dead in Bannu
- Two MQM activists shot dead in Hyderabad
- PML-N candidate targeted in Jhal Magsi
- Bid to blow up PTI, PML-N offices thwarted
Election candidates and offices continued being attacked across the country on Wednesday, leaving at least five people dead and several others injured.
In Bannu, three people were killed and more than 20 injured when a suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden car into Domel Police Station.
Local police said several houses were also damaged in the blast. They said two women and a policeman succumbed to injuries at a hospital, while 23 others were left injured.
Several people were trapped under the debris after the explosion. Rescue and relief teams rushed to the blast site and shifted the injured to DHQ Hospital and Khalifa Gulnawaz Medical Complex.
In Karachi’s Mehmoodabad No 6, at least 18 people, including women and children, were injured in a car bombing. Police sources said that the condition of several of the injured was critical and casualties were expected.
Meanwhile in Hyderabad, at least two activists of the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) were killed and six others injured in an overnight attack on the party’s election office.
According to details, six unidentified motorcyclists sprayed bullets at an election office of MQM established in Liberty Chowk of Hyderabad and fled.
Azam Qureshi and Aslam alias Alam Dada were killed on the spot while six others, including two party workers Shoaib and Fayyaz were injured.
In Balochistan, unidentified assailants targeted the election convoy of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Amir Aziz Kurd for NA-267 in Jhal Magsi.
Kurd was travelling when the gunmen opened fire on his convoy near Gandawah, leaving four party workers severely injured. The wounded workers were shifted to a nearby hospital.
Another independent candidate came under attack in Landikotal.
Officials said the incident took place in Jamrud town of the agency where miscreants targeted the vehicle of independent candidate Shah Ji Gul with a roadside bomb. Gul is contesting elections from NA-45. The candidate and his companions remained unhurt in the blast.
In Lahore, PML-N candidate Rana Mashood Ahmad, contesting for the Punjab Assembly constituency PP-149, escaped an attack when unidentified men opened fire on his convoy late on Wednesday night. Police sources said that one suspect had been taken into custody.
Also on Wednesday, law-enforcement agencies thwarted a bid to blow up election offices of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and PML-N in Peshawar.
Per reports, explosives had been planted near the offices of PTI and PML-N, but the Bomb Disposal Squad was informed, which defused the explosives in time.
Another independent candidate survived an attack by unidentified armed motorcyclists in Gujranwala.
Two armed motorcyclists opened fire on independent candidate for provincial assembly constituency PP-95 Fareed Awan near Aroop School Morr area of Gujranwala, while he was returning home. Awan and all passengers remained unhurt.
In Balochistan, unidentified miscreants attacked a girls’ school by hurling a hand grenade in Noshki district, but fortunately no loss of life occurred.
Police said culprits riding a motorbike hurled a hand grenade on a girls’ school and a proposed polling station near the main market area. The school building was partially damaged but no casualty was reported.
