Motorcycle bomb kills three people and injures 16 in Pakistan

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A bomb blast in southwestern Pakistan on Saturday killed three people, including two children, police said.

It also injured at least 13 people, including two police officers who were reported by local media to be in a critical condition.

The explosion occurred near the police headquarters at Surkhab Chowk in Pishin, a town in Balochistan province about 100km from the border with Afghanistan.

“Explosives were planted in a motorcycle,” police officer Mujeeb-Ur-Rehman said, adding that it was remotely detonated.

Two children who were passing by were killed when the blast occurred, he said.

Police suspected the blast was carried out by separatist Baloch factions, which have ramped up attacks on security forces and civilians in recent months, although no group claimed responsibility.

Pakistan’s interior minister Mohsin Naqvi mourned the loss of innocent lives. He said the fight against insurgents was for “Pakistan’s honour and to give the future generations a peaceful and safe country”.

“This war will continue until the terrorists and their enablers are eradicated,” he said.

Shehbaz Sharif, the prime minister, expressed sorrow and directed authorities to provide the best medical treatment possible to the injured.

He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to combating terrorism. “Cowardly terrorists who attack young children do not deserve to be called humans,” he said.

Shahid Rind, a spokesman for Balochistan’s provisional government, condemned the “terrorist incident”.

“Anti-society and anti-state elements do not deserve any concession,” Mr Rind said. “Terrorists are targeting innocent and sinless people to achieve their nefarious goals.”

Balochistan has seen a surge in violence in recent months, particularly since the breakdown of a ceasefire between the government and the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan in 2022.

The blast in Pishin continues a broader trend of escalating attacks on security forces and civilians in Balochistan and the neighbouring province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Balochistan has long been plagued by insurgency, with separatist groups seeking independence from Pakistan.

Despite the government’s claims of having quelled the insurgency, violence has continued, posing ongoing security challenges to the country.

Balochistan holds strategic importance internationally as well, not least due to its proximity to Afghanistan and Iran, making it a focal point for regional stability.