At least 20 people were killed and more than 40 injured today in a bomb blast at a rally in a southwestern Pakistani city, a senior official told AFP.
"Twenty people have been killed in the blast and we are afraid the death toll will rise," said Balochistan Interior Minister Aga Umar Bungalzai.
The attack took place in the town of Mastung, 40 km from the provincial capital, Quetta. According to Reuters, it was a kamikaze attack.
According to Bungalzai, the attack targeted Sirai Raisani, the BAP party candidate for the Balochistan provincial assembly, who is among the dead. "He succumbed to his injuries while being transported to Quetta," he said.
According to Reuters, this is the second attack today related to the parliamentary elections on July 25, amid tensions over the return of ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Earlier in the day, four people were killed in a bomb blast in the northern city of Banu during a rally by Akram Khan Durani, an ally of Sharif's MMA party.