QUETTA: A bomb struck the convoy of Sardar Khan Rind — a former district nazim and the son of a PTI provincial lawmaker — in the Sunni Shoran area of Kachhi district, killing two of his private bodyguards and critically wounding a third, officials said on Saturday.

Mr Rind escaped unhurt in the blast, which according to officials was carried out using a remote-contro­lled improvised explosive dev­ice. No one has imm­ediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Dhadar Assistant Com­missioner Fahad Shah Rashdi confirmed that the convoy was targeted in the Sunni Shoran area.

“Two bodyguards were killed and one was injured in the IED blast while Sardar Khan Rind was unharmed in the blast,” he said, adding that the dead and the injured were moved to District Headquarters Hospital Dhadar.

Sardar Khan Rind is the son of the Rind tribe chief and PTI lawmaker from Balochistan Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind, who is also a former federal minister.

Dhadar Station House Officer Shaukat confirmed this account, Dawn.com reported.

The PTI MPA corroborated the police officer’s statement, saying: “There has been a blast [targeting] my elder son Sardar Khan Rind’s convoy. He is safe, although others in convoy have been martyred and injured,” he said, according to Dawn.com.

Levies officials said Mr Khan was on his way to Quetta from his native town Sunni Shoran in convoy. When he reached near the Noshman area, a powerful blast took place at the convoy, killing two security guards on the spot and injuring one other.

Officials of Levies and other security forces rushed to the site soon after receiving information about the blast.

Security forces have also launched a search operation in the area to trace the elements involved in detonating the IED with remote control. No one has claimed responsibility for the blast.

Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo has expressed his concern over the attempt on Sardar Rind’s life and expressed his sorrow over the killing of two security guards.

A chief minister’s spokesperson said that Mr Bizenjo immediately established contact on the phone with Sardar Khan Rind and strongly condemned the bomb attack on his convoy.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2023