Coordinated militant assaults leave over 80 dead across Pakistan’s Balochistan
Militants targeted police posts, Frontier Corps positions and other security installations, while some civilian areas were also affected
PTC Web Desk: Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan was shaken by a wave of coordinated militant attacks that left at least 80 persons dead — 70 militants and 10 security personnel, officials said today. The assaults, launched late Friday night and continuing into Saturday, hit more than 10 towns and cities, prompting large-scale counter-operations by the army and law enforcement agencies.
Provincial government spokesperson Shahid Rind said attacks were reported from multiple locations, including Quetta, Gwadar, Makran, Hub, Chaman, Naseerabad and Nushki. Militants targeted police posts, Frontier Corps positions and other security installations, while some civilian areas were also affected.
Federal Information Minister Ataullah Tarar said security forces responded swiftly, forcing attackers to retreat in several areas. He added that explosives planted on a railway track in Naseerabad were later detected and defused, averting major damage. In Gwadar, civilians, including members of a family, were killed during the violence, according to officials.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said at least 70 militants had been killed so far, warning that the number could rise as clearance operations were still in progress. Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed that 10 police and Frontier Corps personnel lost their lives.
The attacks followed recent counter-terror operations in Panjgur and Harnai, where security forces had killed 41 militants earlier in the week, indicating a sharp escalation in hostilities.
The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility, announcing what it described as the second phase of “Operation Herof.” In a statement attributed to its spokesperson, the group claimed it had seized key security facilities in Nushki and inflicted casualties on Pakistani forces. Authorities have not verified these claims.
Security agencies are working to identify those killed to determine whether they belonged solely to Baloch insurgent outfits or also included fighters from the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Balochistan has seen a steady rise in militant activity. Security research groups report a significant increase in attacks and fatalities in the province, reflecting a broader surge in militancy across Pakistan over the past year.