News / Pakistan

Bomb kills one, injures 7 in Pakistan's restive Balochistan

Monday, 05 February 2018 7:00 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 05 February 2018 7:00 PM ]

Pakistani security officials gather around a damaged police bus and truck at the site of a bomb attack in Quetta, in southwest Balochistan province, on January 9, 2018. (Photo by AFP)

Pakistan’s restive southwestern province of Balochistan has been rocked by a bombing as reports say one is killed and seven others are injured in the attack in Makran region.

Ghulam Ali, the provincial home secretary, said Monday that the attack took place earlier in the day when a remote-controlled bomb planted in a motorcycle was detonated among civilians in Panjgur city.

"It was an improvised explosive device planted in the motorcycle parked in a busy area of the Panjgur city and was detonated through a remote control," said Ali.

Other sources also confirmed the casualties. Bashir Bangulzai, Makran’s commissioner, said two of those injured were in critical condition.

The attack came just a day after a six-year-old girl and her mother were killed when a hand grenade exploded near their house on the outskirts of Panjgur.

Balochistan, a relatively rich area in minerals but lagging behind in development, has seen recurrent attacks by militants over the past years.

Pakistan has taken steps to reduce the violence in the area through introducing major infrastructure projects.

China has invested more than $54 billion to upgrade infrastructure, power and transport links between its far-western Xinjiang region and Pakistan's Gwadar port, a project known as China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which runs through Balochistan.

The Islamabad government has blamed arch-rival India for a surge in attacks in Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, saying New Delhi is irked by Pakistan’s massive economic partnership with China in the region.

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