Police and security officials said Monday that an explosion occurred near a car carrying Pakistani paramilitaries in the southwestern province of Balochistan, killing one soldier and injuring 11 people, most of whom were civilians.
The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack on Sunday.
Pakistan has been fighting insurgents in Balochistan for more than a decade as separatists in the region demand full autonomy or a greater share of the region’s gas and mineral resources.
It is noteworthy that the Pakistani Taliban movement is banned, and there are other militants with a presence in the region bordering Iran and Afghanistan.
Local police spokesman Mohammad Khan said Sunday’s attack took place near the Musa Khan checkpoint in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province. He did not provide other details.
Shortly after the explosion, the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the explosion, claiming that the attack had been carried out by a suicide bomber.
The latest attack came a week after 101 people were killed in a suicide attack on a mosque in the northwestern city of Peshawar, drawing condemnation and prompting Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif to convene opposition politicians and allies to discuss how to respond to the an increase in extremist violence.
The meeting was supposed to take place on Tuesday, but it was rescheduled for the following Thursday.
And Pakistani officials have accused the Pakistani Taliban, who are hiding in neighboring Afghanistan, of plotting a terrorist attack in Peshawar.
The Pakistani Taliban have denied any role. But the armed group has stepped up its attacks since November, when the truce with the government in Islamabad ended.
Sharif invited his predecessor, opposition leader Imran Khan, to talks on Thursday, but Khan has yet to confirm his participation.
After the Peshawar attack, members of civil society organized rallies across the country and held memorial services for the victims, and called on the government to take action to stem the escalation of militant attacks.
