10 dead, 50 injured in Eid Miladun Nabi procession as explosion rocks Pakistan's Mastung

At least ten people died and more than 50 others were wounded as a result of an explosion in Mastung, a town located in the Balochistan province of Pakistan, Geo News reported. The blast rocked the region during weekly Eid prayers on Friday. A police officer is said to be among the dead. 

According to an official, the blast occurred near a mosque where locals had gathered to celebrate the Islamic holiday of Eid Miladun Nabi. 

Victims shifted to Quetta as condolences pour in

Following the explosion, the area near Madinah mosque was cordoned off by authorities as rescue teams scrambled to rush the wounded to nearby hospitals. Provincial Caretaker Information Minister Jan Achakzai revealed that victims were shifted to Quetta. 

According to Mastung Assistant Commissioner Atta Ul Munim, the "massive" blast rocked the mosque which was packed with people wanting to attend a procession later, Geo News reported. 

The incident comes after another blast wounded several, including Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) leader Hafiz Hamdullah. 

Several Pakistani leaders condemned the recent blast, including Interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti. He said that the Pakistani government will show no lenience towards perpetrators and terrorists. Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan (JUP) leader Maulana Owais Noorani also took to X to express condolences over the deadly incident. 

"The heart is deeply saddened by the report of the bomb blast and the martyrdoms in the Eid Milad-ul-Nabi procession in Mastung. They are the most wretched beasts to bathe in blood on such a holy day," he said. 
 
In a statement through his spokesperson, Interim Sindh Chief Minister Maqbool Baqar lambasted those involved in the blast as the "enemies of humanity".

Furthermore, former Sindh governor Imran Ismail "strongly" rebuked the attack in Mastung. "The whole nation stands with the people of Mastung in this difficult time," he said, adding that he hopes to see authorities bring those accountable to justice.