Two Deadly Blasts Occur in Pakistan a Day Before Elections

Two bomb explosions have killed at least 20 people in Pakistan’s Balochistan province on the eve of general elections, officials say.

The first blast killed 12 people in front of an independent candidate’s party office in Pishin district.

A second explosion left eight people dead in Qillah Saif Ullah district, about 150km (93 miles) away. Many others were injured in the two blasts.

The election has been marred by violence and claims of poll-rigging.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack in Pishin.

Details of the second blast are still emerging.

Images on social media show cars and motorbikes blown apart by the force of the explosion in Pishin.

It took place outside the election office of a local independent candidate who was reportedly meeting his polling agent at the time.

There have been violent incidents in both Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces in the last week or so in the build-up to Thursday’s vote.

Police are trying to determine the cause of the blast and the injured have been transported to nearby hospitals.

The Balochistan government said the vote would proceed as planned.