Pakistan blast: Explosion in Balochistan province kills at least 25, say reports

At least 25 people were killed and 35 others were injured in a blast in Mastung area in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province on Friday, according to PTI. The blast went off shortly after Friday prayers. Deputy chairman Pakistan Senate Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri escaped an assassination attempt and was reportedly injured in the Mastung blast that damaged his car, as per PTI.

The bomb reportedly targeted Haideri when he was coming out of a religious seminary after addressing a gathering in Mastung area of the province. The scene of the blast is around 70 kilometres from provincial capital Quetta. Meanwhile, police said the blast was apparently a suicide attack. Senior police officer Abdul Razzaq Cheema claimed that at least 30-40 people were injured. He said Haideri was slightly injured. As per local media in Pakistan, Haideri has been shifted to the Civil hospital.

Later, in an interview to a news channel in Pakistan, Haideri said he received minor injuries. So far no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.The District Police Officer Mastung, Ghazanfar Ali, said Haideri escaped as he was not sitting in the car when the blast took place."It could be a suicide bomb attack but it is too early to say for sure," he said.

Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani said that it was a suicide attack which targeted the deputy chairman. "I have talked to chief secretary of Balochistan and asked him to airlift Haideri to Quetta," he said. Balochistan government spokesman Anwarul Haq Kakar said it was too early to say anything about the nature of the attack. "Probe has been launched to determine the nature of the bombing," he added.