Explosion Strikes Jabbar Market in Killa Abdullah; Gunfire Reported Aftermath
Karachi, May 19 – A powerful bomb blast near Jabbar Market in the Killa Abdullah district of Pakistan’s Balochistan province has claimed the lives of four people and injured at least 20 others, according to local officials.The explosion occurred on Sunday near a bustling market adjacent to the rear wall of the Frontier Corps (FC) Fort. The blast caused severe damage, with several shops collapsing and fires breaking out across multiple establishments, sparking chaos and panic among residents.
Deputy Commissioner Riaz Khan confirmed the death toll and said the injured included bystanders and a security guard of tribal elder Haji Faizullah Khan Ghabizai. Following the explosion, a brief exchange of gunfire took place between unidentified attackers and FC personnel stationed nearby.
Law enforcement agencies swiftly cordoned off the area and initiated a search and clearance operation to track down those responsible.
The incident comes just days after a deadly gun attack in Khuzdar district’s Nal area, where four Levies personnel were killed at a security checkpoint. These incidents underscore the ongoing instability in Balochistan, a province plagued by decades of unrest.
Balochistan has long witnessed sporadic violence amid allegations from local ethnic Baloch groups that the federal government is exploiting the region's rich mineral resources without equitable development or benefits for the local population.