6 injured in suicide blast near rally in SW Pakistan: police

ISLAMABAD -- At least six people were injured in a suicide blast near a rally on Saturday in the Mastung district of Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province, local police said.

A police official told Xinhua that a suicide bomber attempted to reach the stage of the rally organized by the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) to target the party's leadership but was stopped at the outer security perimeter in the Lak Pass area of the district.

"When guards of the rally tried to search him before allowing him to enter, the bomber attempted to detonate his explosives-laden jacket but failed. He then tried to run away from the site and triggered the blast," said the official.

The explosion injured six participants, including several security guards, who were chasing him.

Police, security forces, and rescue teams rushed to the scene and transported the injured to a nearby hospital, where two of the wounded were in critical condition.

An eyewitness told local media that the bomber arrived on a motorbike along with an accomplice, who managed to escape after dropping the attacker.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.