At least four people were killed and 10 injured in an explosion inside the Rakhni market in Balochistan’s Barkhan in Pakistan this morning, reported Pakistan newspaper Dawn quoting police officials as saying. The death toll was confirmed by Barkhan Station House Officer Sajjad Afzal to Dawn adding that injured persons were shifted to a nearby hospital.
A police team has reached the site and cordoned off the area for investigations, the official added.
Barkhan Deputy Commissioner Abdullah Khoso told the newspaper that the blast occurred when an improvised explosive device (IED), planted on a motorcycle, exploded.
Unverified videos making the rounds on social media show volunteers carrying bloodied victims away as a crowd gathers at the purported site of the blast. Mangled motorcycles and charred vegetables can be seen strewn about on the road, the report added.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo condemned the incident and directed the authorities to take all possible steps to arrest the culprits.
“Those who shed the blood of innocent people are enemies of humanity,” he said.
“Terrorists are creating uncertainty to achieve their evil goals. But we won’t allow anti-state elements to succeed,” the minister said, adding that the government would adopt an effective counter-terrorism strategy.