QUETTA: The death toll from a suicide bombing in Quetta has risen to 14, officials confirmed on Wednesday, as investigators probe alleged claims that the attack may have been linked to a political dispute involving Akhtar Mengal.
The blast ripped through a parking area near Shahwani Stadium in the city’s Saryab neighborhood late Tuesday, shortly after a rally organised by the Balochistan National Party (BNP) to mark the fourth death anniversary of Sardar Attaullah Mengal, father of BNP chief Akhtar Mengal. Police said the explosion occurred about 15 minutes after the event concluded, killing and wounding several participants as they were leaving the venue.
Mengal, who presided over the rally, escaped unharmed. Other prominent political leaders present — including Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Awami National Party’s Asghar Khan Achakzai, and former senator Mir Kabeer Muhammad Shai of the National Party — also left the venue before the blast.
Among the injured were former BNP legislator Mir Ahmed Nawaz Baloch and the party’s central labor secretary Musa Jan, according to party sources.
While no group has claimed responsibility for the bombing, local security officials told Buraq Baloch that they suspect the attack could have been “linked to Akhtar Mengal’s recent agitation,” alleging that his sit-in was disrupted by security forces. The officials warned that if evidence emerges implicating Mengal or his associates, “those responsible will face severe consequences.”
Political opponents have seized on the timing of the attack to accuse Mengal of exploiting violent incidents for political gain. Earlier this year, a similar explosion struck near one of his gatherings at Lak Pass. “This appears to be part of a pattern aimed at reviving his waning political relevance,” one security source claimed.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti condemned the bombing as a “cowardly act by the enemies of humanity,” vowing to strengthen security across Quetta. He did not comment on the allegations against Mengal.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, five Pakistani soldiers were killed in clashes with militants described by the army as “Indian-sponsored,” with five insurgents also reported dead.
Authorities in Quetta have launched an investigation committee, while security forces continue operations against suspected militant networks in the province.
