5 burnt to death, 10 injured in Khuzdar explosion

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): Five people have been killed and 10 others seriously wounded in an explosion in Pakistan’s restive southwestern province of Balochistan.

Local authorities said the blast ripped Naal town’s main bazaar in Khuzdar district on Wednesday. At least five people were burnt to death and 10 others sustained serious injuries.

The vehicle of a pro-government tribal elder was the target of the explosive device, planted in the bazaar. The bomb was detonated remotely as his vehicle passed through the area, Dawn reported.

The tribal elder survived the attack, which killed three of his companions — all burnt — as the vehicle caught fire after the explosion. Two more people also succumbed to their injuries later on.

One police official said: “A total of five people travelling in the vehicle were burnt alive as the fire spread rapidly. Tragi­cally, there were no fire brigade services or rescue workers available in the municipal committee.”

Two critically injured people succumbed to their wounds at hospital, while three died on the spot in the vehicle fire, Khuzdar Deputy Commissioner Yasir Dashti confirmed.

With the incident under investigation, no group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

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