At least six people were killed and three others injured following a blast in an orchard in the Khad Kocha area of Mastung district, Balochistan, according to local police officials.
DSP Rafiq Hamza confirmed that the explosion occurred in an orchard in the Khad Kocha area. Following the incident, the deceased and injured were transported to a hospital in Mastung for medical treatment. Hospital authorities at Nawab Ghous Bakhsh Hospital said that the condition of the injured remains critical, raising concerns that the death toll could potentially increase.
Following the explosion, law-enforcement personnel cordoned off the area and began collecting evidence from the scene.
A Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) has also been called in to examine the site and determine the nature and circumstances of the explosion. Investigators are expected to examine the blast site for evidence that could establish the type of explosive device involved, its possible origin and the circumstances leading to the incident.
Authorities have not yet established the cause of the explosion, and no responsibility for the incident has been officially attributed to any group. Security officials are maintaining a security cordon around the affected area as investigators work to gather forensic and other evidence. The precise nature of the blast will become clearer once the bomb-disposal and investigative teams complete their initial assessment.
Authorities are also expected to investigate whether the explosion was accidental or deliberate and to determine whether the incident was connected to any criminal or militant activity.
