ISLAMABAD: Tragedy struck Balochistan during Eid holidays as at least 21 people lost their lives in separate incidents of terrorism, accidents, and drownings.
Among the victims were a prominent tribal elder and his son, killed in a targeted bomb attack in Kech district.
Muhammad Amin, a well-known tribal elder and close relative of Balochistan’s senior minister Mir Zahoor Ahmed Buledi, was en route to offer Eid prayers with his family.
As their vehicle reached the Zamran area, an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated via remote control, fatally striking the convoy.
A Levies official confirmed that Muhammad Amin and his son Naveed Amin died instantly, while his younger son Hafiz Irshad and another relative sustained injuries.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which has raised fresh concerns about security lapses in the region.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari extended condolences to the bereaved family and expressed solidarity with Mir Zahoor Buledi.
He also prayed for the swift recovery of the injured.
Violence and Accidents Claim More Lives
Separately, former excise and taxation officer Hafiz Elahi Bakhsh was gunned down on his way to Eid prayers.
In Nasirabad, Ziaur Rehman Hashmi, the brother of a senior government official, was killed in another targeted attack.
Additional deaths occurred in Noshki, Buleda, and Dera Bugti, where shootings left multiple individuals dead or wounded.
The Eid holidays also saw a disturbing number of road accidents across Balochistan.
A car in Sherani district plunged into a ravine, killing four, including a one-year-old child.
Another accident near Uthal on the Makran Coastal Highway claimed one life and left three injured.
Separate crashes in Dalbandin, Dera Allahyar, and Pasni resulted in multiple injuries and fatalities.
Drownings and Other Casualties Add to Toll
At least six people drowned while picnicking during the Eid break.
These included two young girls in Nari Gaj River, an 11-year-old boy in Sohbatpur, and three men in Kohlu and Basima.
In Khuzdar’s Wadh area, Ghulam Mustafa fell from a mountain and died during a picnic.
The rising number of holiday-related incidents underscores the urgent need for better public safety and infrastructure.
