Kalat: A bridge carrying traffic between Quetta and Karachi was damaged in an explosion in Kalat, disrupting movement on one of Balochistan’s key highways, police said.

The blast took place in the Marjan area as a passenger coach was crossing the bridge. Several passengers were injured and taken to Nawab Ghous Bakhsh Raisani Hospital in Mastung for treatment, according to police.

The explosion damaged the bridge and interrupted traffic along the Quetta Karachi National Highway. Authorities diverted vehicles through an alternative route while investigations continued.

No group had been identified as responsible for the blast at the time of reporting.

The incident was followed by a separate attack on a police post in the Kank area of Mastung during the night. Police said unidentified armed men opened fire on the post, killing constable Izzatullah and injuring constable Naseebullah.

Police personnel returned fire, and the attackers fled, according to authorities. A heavy contingent of police and security forces subsequently reached the area and cordoned it off.

The body of the slain constable was handed over to his family after the completion of legal formalities.

The two incidents come amid continued security concerns in Balochistan, where attacks on roads, bridges and other infrastructure have repeatedly disrupted transport links. Recent attacks on bridges along major highways have also demonstrated how damage to a single crossing can quickly affect movement between districts.

For travellers and communities dependent on the highway, the immediate concern is restoring safe passage. For authorities, the challenge extends beyond repairing the infrastructure to preventing further attacks on the routes that connect Balochistan’s towns and markets.

Investigations into both incidents are underway.