Islamabad, Feb. 7: At least 26 people were killed and over 40 others injured in two bomb blasts near election offices in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province, a day before the general elections, raising concerns over security in the country.

Pakistan goes to the polls amid rising militant attacks in recent months and the jailing of Imran Khan, who has won the last national election, and has been in the headlines despite an economic crisis and other woes threatening the nuclear-armed country.

In the first incident, a powerful blast outside the office of independent candidate Asfandyar Khan Kakar in Pishin district killed 17 people and wounded 30 others, according to news agency PTI. In less than an hour, another explosion took place outside the election office of a Jamiat-Ulema Islam-Pakistan in the Killa Abdullah area claiming eight lives and injuring 12 others.

The condition of some of the injured is critical and they have been rushed to Quetta for treatment.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has confirmed the two blasts and said security had been further enhanced in the province for Thursday’s elections.

A spokesperson of the ECP added that the perpetrators of these terror attacks will be caught and dealt with.

It was not immediately clear who was behind Wednesday’s attack. Several groups, including the Islamist militant Pakistani Taliban and separatist groups from Balochistan, oppose the Pakistani state and have carried out attacks in recent months.

Jailed former Pakistan PM Imran Khan had earlier urged his supporters to wait outside polling booths after casting their votes, as rival political parties held large rallies to mark the end of the election campaign period. “Encourage the maximum number of people to vote, wait at the polling station and then stay peacefully outside the Returning Officer’s office until the final results are announced,” said Khan in a post on X, accompanied by an undated photograph depicting him wearing simple black clothing.

Violence has been at its peak in Balochistan, bordering Afghanistan and Iran, in the lead-up to the February 8 general elections in Pakistan. On Tuesday, 10 grenade attacks were carried out at security posts, election campaign offices and rallies in different areas of the province.

Since Sunday, there have been around 50 such attacks carried out in the province and in one incident in Sibi town attackers targeted an election rally of a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf candidate for the National Assembly in which four people lost their lives and six were injured.-Agencies