“Around 400 party workers were present in the office at the time of the attack,” says the party’s information secretary. PHOTO: FILE
QUETTA: Attacks on election candidates and government officials continue unabated in the restive Balochistan province. On Sunday, unidentified men mounted grenade attacks on the house of an Election Commission of Pakistan official and the office of a nationalist politician in Kharan and Kech districts. Elsewhere, two workers of a Pakhtun nationalist party were killed in a drive-by shooting.
In the first incident, gunmen hurled a hand grenade at the house of Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, president of the National Party (NP), on Commissionary Road in Kech. The attack took place when a party meeting was in progress. No casualties were reported. “Around 400 party workers were present in the office at the time of the attack,” the party’s information secretary, Jan Buledi, told The Express Tribune. “No one was hurt but some vehicles were damaged,” he added.
Addressing party workers after the attack, Dr Abdul Malik Baloch said his party would not give up its democratic struggle.
Election official’s house attacked
Separately, the daughter of Deputy Election Commissioner Muhammad Hashim was wounded in a grenade attack in the Guwash area of Kharan district.
“Unidentified men lobbed a hand grenade at the house of the deputy election commissioner, injuring his teenage daughter, Asma,” Ishtiaq Ahmed, the SHO of Kharan police station, told The Express Tribune. “The girl was rushed to the District Hospital,” he added.
Two ANP men killed
In other incidents of violence, two workers of the Awami National Party (ANP) were killed and another injured when gunmen opened fire in the Karbala Bypass area of Pishin district. Residents got hold of one of the gunmen and beat him to death before law enforcers could reach the spot.
Four gunmen riding in a car opened fire on local ANP leaders, killing district general secretary Mustafa and worker Syed Naseem on the spot. A man identified as Muhammad Khan was injured.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 22nd, 2013.
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