As violence claims at least 132 lives, former Prime Minister Sharif comes home to prison

Two attacks, one by the Islamic State group, are reported. In one, a candidate was killed. The violence comes within hours of Sharif's return from London.

Quetta (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is back home facing jail time in a country shaken by pre-election violence. Yesterday, two new attacks killed more than 130 people, including a local candidate.

In Dringarh, about 35 kilometres south of Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, an Islamic State suicide bomber blew himself up, killing 128 people at an election rally. This is the deadliest attack in Pakistan since 2014

One of the victims was Siaj Raisani, who was running for the provincial legislature on behalf of the Balochistan Awami Party, which was founded last March.

On the same day, another attack took place in north-western Pakistan, with four people killed.

These incidents follow a suicide attack by the Taliban on Tuesday, which claimed the lives of at least 20 people.

Meanwhile, Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam flew home today from London.

Upon landing, the former prime minister was taken into custody by police. Both he and his daughter face sentences of ten and seven years in prison respectively.

According to some activists, the convictions were politically motivated, meant to cripple Sharif’s party on the eve of elections set for 25 July, so as to favour his rival, Imran Khan.

• pakistan
• balochistan
• quetta
• terror attacks
• islamic state
• nawaz sharif
• elections