Three Pak Army soldiers, a polling officer killed, says military

Three Pakistan Army soldiers and a polling officer were killed in a gunfire by unidentified assailants in Baleda area of the restive Baluchistan province, the military said today.

A security team responsible for transporting the polling staff to their designated stations in NA-271 constituency (Baled) had come under attack late last night, the military's media-wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

The miscreants had opened fire on the security convoy, killing three soldiers and a polling officer, while 14 others were injured, the ISPR said.

Among the wounded, 10 were in a critical condition, it said.

The ISPR said that despite the attack the Army team managed to take the polling staff to their designated stations in the NA-271 constituency and polling process started at designated time this morning.

Earlier today, an Islamic State suicide bomber blew himself up outside a polling station in Bhosa Mandi area of Baluchistan's provincial capital Quetta, killing 31 people, including policemen.

In separate incidents, four other persons were killed in poll-related violence. Clashes erupted between rival parties outside several polling stations, reports said.