South Asia

Blast claims seven lives in southwestern Pakistan

File photo.

At least seven people were killed in a landmine blast in Balochistan’s Panjgur district in southwestern Pakistan on Monday night, Pakistani media reported.

The incident occurred when a remote explosive device, placed by unknown perpetrators, targeted a vehicle transporting Balgatar Union Council Chairman Ishtiaq Yaqoob and companions who were returning from a wedding celebration, Dawn news reported.

As the vehicle traversed Chakar Bazar in the Balgatar region, the planted device was triggered, leading to the devastating loss of lives, said Deputy Commissioner of Panjgur, Amjad Somro, as cited by Dawn news.

Among the deceased, the identities of Mohammad Yaqoob, Ibrahim, Wajid, Fida Hussain, Sarfaraz, and Haider have been confirmed, the report said. Four other victims initially remained unidentified, but their identities were later ascertained through family members at a local hospital.

This grim occurrence transpires in the midst of an escalating surge in insurgent attacks across Pakistan, particularly in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan regions.