At least four people were killed and five others sustained injuries in a blast at a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) rally in Balochistan’s Sibi on Tuesday, officials said.

As per details, the blast occurred at the city’s Jinnah Road.

The casualties are feared to increase as three of the injured taken to the Civil Hospital were in critical condition.

1,120 polling stations declared highly sensitive in Lahore

The development comes just over a week before the general elections in the country, which are scheduled for February 8.

In its message over the incident, PTI strongly condemned the attack and called for a thorough investigation into the incident.

PTI said the blast on its election rally was a failure of both the provincial and federal caretaker governments.

It added that the incident occurred at a time when the state machinery “is busy in subjecting PTI leaders and workers to false and fabricated cases”.

After the blast, an emergency was imposed at hospitals in Sibi as well as in Quetta.

ECP takes notice of Sibi blast

Meanwhile, in a post on X, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said it had taken notice of the incident and summoned a report from the Balochistan’s Inspector-General (IG) and the chief secretary in the province.

“Elections will proceed as planned”

In a post on X, Interim Balochistan Information Minister Jan Achakzai said the blast was an attempt to disrupt the election process and its results.

“Regardless of the actions of terrorists, the elections will proceed as planned. The rally in #Sibi, which was targeted by terrorists, will not discourage the Govt of Balochistan from conducting the elections,” he wrote in the post.