Pakistan blast: Balochistan mourns the death of its fragile peace

A devastating attack ahead of the general election in Pakistan has shaken the strife-torn province

The Friday suicide attack in Balochistan’s Mastung district has shattered the fragile peace in the province that was gearing up for the general election scheduled for July 25. The attack at a political gathering in Mastung’s Dringarh area claimed 197 lives (the official figure stands at 129), including that of Balochistan Awami Party’s candidate Siraj Raisani.

The incident, the deadliest in the history of the province, took place 45 km southwest of the capital city of Quetta and just about 50 km from the Afghan border. Raisani was addressing a gathering of around 800 people in a large tent when a