Over 128 killed as blast hits political leader's convoy in SW Pakistan

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At least 128 people were killed and over 150 others injured as a suicide bomber hit a campaign convoy in Pakistan's southwest district of Mastung in Balochistan Province amid tensions over ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's return ahead of July 25 elections.

The bombing was the most deadly attack in Pakistan since 2014 and is the third incident of election-related violence this week.

An injured Pakistani man is brought to a hospital in Quetta following the blast on July 13, 2018. /VCG Photo

The ISIL claimed the attack, which targeted a campaign rally that more than 1000 people attended.

Agha Umar Bungalzai, provincial home minister, confirmed the explosion killed Siraj Raisani, who was running for a provincial seat with the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP).

"Mir Siraj Raisani succumbed to wounds while he was being shifted to Quetta," he added. Raisani was the younger brother of former provincial Chief Minister Mir Aslam Raisani.

An injured Pakistani man is brought to a hospital in Quetta on July 13, 2018 following a bomb blast at an election rally. /VCG Photo

The explosion came hours after four people were killed and 39 injured when a bomb hidden inside a motorcycle detonated near a Pakistani politician's convoy in the country's northwest near the Afghan border.

The earlier blast, near the town of Bannu, was targeting the convoy of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) candidate Akram Khan Durrani, who survived the attack, police said.

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