Explosion Near Election Candidates' Offices in Pakistan; 26 Killed

Pakistani officials report that two explosions near the offices of parliamentary election candidates in the southwestern province of Balochistan left 26 dead and dozens injured, raising security concerns on the eve of the elections. On Thursday, February 8, the people of Pakistan will head to the polls amid a surge in militant attacks and the imprisonment of Imran Khan, the winner of the last elections. 44 political parties are competing for 266 seats in the Pakistani parliament. According to Reuters, the first explosion, which killed 14 people, occurred at the office of an independent election candidate in the 'Pishin' district of Balochistan. The second explosion took place in the Qilla Saifullah area, near the Afghan border, close to the office of the 'Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam', which has previously been targeted by militants. This attack resulted in 12 deaths and 25 injuries. It is still unclear who is behind the attacks, but several groups, including the Pakistani Taliban and Baloch separatist groups, have carried out attacks in recent months. In response to these explosions, Pakistani officials stated that they are increasing security measures at polling stations. Imran Khan, in a message from prison, urged his supporters to wait outside polling stations after voting, as rival political parties are expected to hold large rallies to mark the end of the election campaign. Any large gatherings of his supporters near polling stations could escalate tensions. Khan shared a photo of himself on social media platform X, urging people to encourage many to vote and to stay at polling centers until the final results are announced. His son, Qasim Khan, also posted a picture of himself and his brother with their father's party flag, 'Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf', and urged people to vote. Previously, Imran Khan's children had kept a low profile. Meanwhile, Nawaz Sharif, the leading candidate in the elections, along with his brother Shahbaz Sharif, a former prime minister, held a large rally in the city of Kasur in eastern Pakistan, where he urged the youth to support his party and not to be 'fooled' by Imran Khan. Supporters of the Pakistan People's Party, led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, also gathered in the southern city of Larkana, which could play a decisive role in forming a government if no party secures enough parliamentary seats. Bilawal, the former foreign minister and son of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, criticizes his rivals, including Sharif, for what he calls jeopardizing the country's security and economy during their tenures. Since Imran Khan was ousted from the premiership by a parliamentary no-confidence vote in 2022, political turmoil has escalated in Pakistan, raising concerns about the country's stability. After his ousting, he was convicted in a corruption case and imprisoned, and banned from participating in elections for five years. Imran Khan has accused Pakistan's powerful military of orchestrating his ouster, a claim the military denies. At least 10 people were killed in a militant attack on security forces in Pakistan, and clashes in Balochistan resulted in the deaths of 24 militants. The UN has stated that al-Qaeda and the Taliban are assisting in carrying out terrorist attacks in Pakistan. Imran Khan was sentenced to 10 years in prison on the eve of Pakistan's general elections. The Iranian attack on Pakistan is seen as a gamble, with Kamran Bukhari stating that the aim was to send a message to Washington.