Repolling in the Kohlu district of Balochistan for the PB-9 constituency could not take place after a landmine exploded and rockets were fired at a polling station, according to the deputy commissioner.

The incident came just hours after one person was killed in a rocket attack at the election office of a PPP candidate late on Tuesday evening.Officials said two rockets, fired from an unknown location, landed and exploded near the election office of Mir Nasibullah Marri. The victim was hit by splinters, resulting in his death.

Marri had contested the election for Balochistan Assembly from Kohlu’s PB-9 constituency and was elected MPA. However, the losing candidate challenged the result, and the Election Commission ordered re-polling in seven polling stations.

Speaking to Dawn.com, Deputy Commissioner (DC) and District Returning Officer Naqibullah Kakar confirmed that of the six rockets fired at the polling station this morning, three rocket shells landed inside the premises and exploded.

Separately, a landmine explosion took place on the road near the polling station. The explosion rocked a car but there was no loss of life since the vehicle was bulletproof, DC Kakar confirmed, adding that two people travelling in the car were only “slightly injured”.

The Frontier Corps bomb disposal team and levies forces arrived at the scene following the explosion, where they found a second landmine and defused it, he added.He said work was under way to clear the roads, and polling agents were proceeding to the polling stations under the protection of security forces.

Polling was scheduled to begin at 8am today. However, owing to landmines laid out at different places, staff were delayed in reaching polling stations, DC Kakar said. Till 12pm, polling had not begun, he added.

The DC noted that due to tension in the region, maintaining peaceful conditions was the top priority. He further said that the provincial government was already informed about the precarious security situation.

At least 28 people were killed while over 40 suffered injuries after back-to-back blasts hit Balochistan’s Pishin and Qila Saifullah a day before the February 8 elections were scheduled to be held in the country.