19 akilled in southwest Pakistan explosion

At least 19 people were killed and several injured Tuesday in a roadside explosion in southwest Pakistan, according to an official.

The blast, the latest in a string of terror attacks, occurred in the Sibi district of southwestern Balochistan province minutes after an election rally passed the explosion site.

Deputy Commissioner Sibi, Khuda-e-Rahim confirmed the casualties to Anadolu and said five victims were also injured in the blast, three critically.

He said it was premature to say if the rally organized by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party of incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan was the target of the blast.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, however, ethnic Baloch separatists have long been targeting security forces in the region.

The explosion took place hours after suspected militants fired rockets at different government installations in the Machh district, located 70 kilometers (43 miles) from the provincial capital, Quetta.

Authorities said at least seven suspected militants were killed in an exchange of fire with security forces.

The large Balochistan province, which touches neighboring Iran and Afghanistan, is strategically important due to its rich copper, zinc and natural gas reserves.

The province is also a key route in the $64 billion mega project Pakistan-China Economic Corridor (PCEC), which aims to connect China's strategically important northwestern Xinxiang province to Balochistan's Gawadar port through a network of roads, railways and pipelines for cargo, oil and gas transportation.