A bomb explosion at an election rally in Pakistan's southwestern Baluchistan province Tuesday killed at least four people and injured several others.
Police and health officials confirmed the casualties, saying the attack in the town of Sibi targeted a motorcycle campaign rally led by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, or PTI, party, headed by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Hospital sources said many of the injured were in "critical condition," and that the death toll was likely to rise. No group or individual immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing.
PTI confirmed that its supporters were the targets of the attack. It said that a party candidate for the National Assembly, or lower house of parliament, had organized the gathering ahead of Pakistan's February 8 national elections.
The deadly blast followed overnight heavy clashes between security forces and separatist insurgents elsewhere in Baluchistan.
Provincial officials reported that a shootout erupted Monday night after heavily armed men stormed the city of Mach, launching dozens of rockets at several locations, including the central jail and the headquarters of the paramilitary Frontier Corps force.
In a statement late Tuesday, the Pakistan military reported that security forces had effectively responded to the "terrorist" raid and foiled it in the process. It added that the ensuing clashes left nine assailants, including suicide bombers, dead, while four security personnel and two civilians were also killed.
The separatist Baloch Liberation Army, or BLA, claimed responsibility for staging the attack, stating it had inflicted heavy casualties on Pakistani security forces. The group, however, is known for inflating the number of casualties from their attacks.
