At least six people have been killed and three others injured on Friday when an explosion struck an orchard in Khad Kocha, Mastung district, police have said.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Rafiq Hamza said the blast occurred at an orchard in the area. Police and other law enforcement personnel reached the site shortly afterwards and cordoned it off.
According to police, the bodies of those killed were shifted to Ghaus Bakhsh Raisani Hospital, while the injured were also taken to hospital for treatment.
A bomb disposal unit was called to the scene to examine the site and determine the nature of the explosion. Police said the investigation was still under way.
According to local reports, all those affected were labourers working in the orchards. The blast was reportedly heard in areas some distance from the site.
The explosion occurred days after a separate blast in Quetta’s Hanna Urak recreational area killed two people and injured two others.
An explosive device planted beside a road detonated at Wali Tangi in that incident.
Police also reported a separate shooting in Khad Kocha, in which two people were killed by unidentified gunmen.
The attackers fled the scene, while the bodies were taken to hospital, according to police.
Authorities have not yet disclosed whether the orchard explosion and the reported shooting in Khad Kocha were connected.
The bomb disposal team’s assessment is expected to determine the nature of the explosion as police continue their investigation.
