Peshawar (Staff Report): PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday suspended his political activities all over Pakistan in solidarity with Mastung victims’ families.
During his two-day visit to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Bilawal had planned to stage public gatherings in Peshawar but especially Malakand —whose NA-9 constituency he will be contesting the July 25 polls too.
The PPP chairman was scheduled to leave Peshawar for Malakand this morning, and lead a rally from Sakhakot to Batkhela before addressing a public meeting at Zafar Park in the evening.
"Devastated by continued attacks on innocent Pakistanis. loss of shaheed Siraj Raisani & 120 innocent people in Mastung cannot be in vain must insure this mindset is defeated. Have suspended my political activities in solidarity," Bilawal said in a tweet.
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At least 128 people including Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) candidate from PB-35 constituency, Nawabzada Siraj Raisani , were martyred when an explosion hit an election gathering in Darengarh area of Mastung on Friday.
According to sources, More than 150 were also injured in the attack.
Raisani is the younger brother of former Balochistan chief minister Nawab Aslam Raisani.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Qaim Lashari told the media the injured are being shifted to nearby hospitals and they are ascertaining the situation.
Following the incident, an emergency was declared in the hospitals of Quetta, with additional medical staff summoned.
In July 2011, Raisani lost his 14-year-old son in a terrorist attack in Mastung, in which several others, including security personnel, were killed.
Earlier, at least four people were killed and 39 others were injured in an attack on the convoy of former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister and Jamiat-Ulema-Islam (F) leader Akram Khan Durrani in Bannu.
Speaking to reporters after the attack, JUI-F leader Akram Khan Durrani said the blast took place near the tire of his jeep, however, he remained unhurt in the attack. According to police, the former minister was leaving a corner meeting when an improvised explosive device (IED) planted in a motorcycle some 50 metres away from the jalsa ground went off in the jurisdiction of Havaid police station.
The JUI-F central general secretary and is contesting the election from NA-35 (Bannu) on a MMA ticket against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.
The injured were rushed to Khalifa Gul Nawaz Hospital and a large contingent of law-enforcers reached the site of the incident.
