Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan has termed the Mastung bombing a conspiracy to delay the elections. Speaking to the media during his visit to Quetta, the PTI chief said, "Pakistan's internal and external enemies are behind the Mastung attack."
A total of 131 people were killed after a suicide bomber struck Nawaz Siraj Raisani's election meeting in Darenghar area of Mastung. Terming Raisani an asset to his party and a diehard patriot, Imran said he realised the true scale of the Mastung tragedy after meeting the victims' families. Imran criticised the lack of implementation of the National Action Plan for the continuation of terrorism in the country after 2014.
"We will not postpone elections since that is what the enemies want," he stated further. He then criticised the rampant corruption in the country and the role of last federal government in allegedly rigging the 2013 general election.
The PTI chief reached Quetta earlier today to express solidarity with the families of Mastung victims as the country observed a day of national mourning. Imran, accompanied by party spokesperson Naeemul Haque and other members visited CMH to inquire into the health of those injured in the incident. He later visited the Raisani family at their home to offer condolences. Raisani, the brother of former Balochistan chief minister Nawab Aslam Raisani, was a Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) candidate from PB-35 constituency.
Over 100 people were also injured in the attack, 59 of which are still in hospital and five of whom have been shifted to Karachi via military plane owing to their critical condition. Investigations are under way into the attack, with an FIR registered on terrorism charges and Mastung Tehsildar Buland Khan assigned as the investigating officer.