A policeman was among the deceased and 17 others were injured in the blast.

Kalat Division Commissioner Naeem Bazai told Dawn News: "So far, seven individuals have been martyred, including five school students, and 17 others have sustained injuries."

He said the blast occurred at around 8:35am.

“It appears that an IED (improvised explosive device) attached to a motorcycle was detonated near a police mobile,” Bazai said.

Mastung District Police Officer (DPO) Miandad Umrani told Dawn.com that four policemen were among the injured.

He said the deceased children were aged between five and 10 years.

A police van and several other auto-rickshaws were damaged in the blast.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti condemned the incident.

"Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti condemned the blast in Mustang," the official X page of the CM posted.

"Condolences to martyred policemen and the heirs of innocent children, terrorists have now targeted innocent children along with poor labourers, the humanitarian incident is condemnable, terrorists have now targeted innocent children in soft target, innocent children and innocent children," he said.

"Sins will take account of the blood of the people, the local people in the civilian population will also have to keep an eye on the terrorists, the monster of terrorism can be fought only together," he said.