Blasts near Pakistan candidates’ offices kill 24 on eve of election

ISLAMABAD — Two blasts near electoral candidates' offices in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan killed 24 people and injured dozens, local officials said on Wednesday, raising concerns over security in the lead-up to Thursday's polls.

Pakistan goes to the polls amid rising militant attacks in recent months and the jailing of Imran Khan, the winner of the last national election, who has been dominating the headlines despite an economic crisis and other woes threatening the nuclear-armed country.

Authorities have said they are boosting security at polling booths.

The first attack, which killed 14, took place at the office of an independent election candidate in Pishin district. The second explosion in Qilla Saifullah, a town near the Afghan border, detonated near an office of Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI), a religious party that has previously been the target of militant attacks, according to the province's information minister.

At least 10 people were killed there, he said.

It was not immediately clear who was behind the attacks. Several groups, including the Islamist militant Pakistani Taliban and separatist groups from Balochistan, oppose the Pakistani state and have carried out attacks in recent months.

"The Election Commission has asked the chief secretary and inspector general of Balochistan for immediate reports and instructed them to take action against those behind the events," an Election Commission spokesperson said in a statement.

Khanzai hospital, close to the site of the explosion in Pishin, gave the death toll as 14 and said more than two dozen were injured. The deputy commissioner of Pishin district, Jumma Dad Khan, said that the blast had injured many people.

The attacks came as political parties wrapped up their campaigning in the quiet period mandated by electoral rules the day before the election.

Jailed former Pakistani premier Khan earlier urged his supporters to wait outside polling booths after casting their votes, as rival political parties held large rallies to mark the end of the election campaign period.

Any large-scale gathering of Khan's supporters near booths could raise tensions because of what they call a military-backed crackdown on him and his party that has restricted campaigning. The military denies interfering in politics.

"Encourage the maximum number of people to vote, wait at the polling station ... and then stay peacefully outside the Returning Officer's office until the final results are announced," said Khan via his handle on social media platform X, accompanied by an undated photograph depicting him wearing simple black clothing.

The origin of the image, the first of Khan in months, was not clear. Previously Khan's supporters have disseminated his messages, including through AI-generated audio speeches, from notes he has passed on through his lawyers during prison visits.

Other political parties also wrapped up their campaigns.

Electoral frontrunner Nawaz Sharif led a huge rally in the eastern city of Kasur, with his brother, former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is running in that constituency.

Amidst a sea of tens of thousands of supporters waving green party flags, Sharif called on the country's huge youth population to support his party and took aim at Khan who has previously attracted support from young voters in the area.

"Don't fall for him," Sharif said.

Supporters of the rival Pakistan People's Party also gathered in the southern city of Larkana led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who could play king-maker if no one party receives enough parliamentary seats to form a government outright.

The former foreign minister and son of assassinated prime minister Benazir Bhutto criticized opponents, including Sharif, for what he described as compromising the country's security and economy during their tenures. — Reuters