QUETTA: Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by land area, was hit by an intense wave of violence early Saturday as militants linked to the banned Baloch Liberation Army carried out coordinated attacks across at least a dozen towns.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations, intelligence assessments confirmed that the operation was planned and directed by militant ringleaders based outside Pakistan. These handlers remained in direct contact with attackers on the ground throughout the assaults.
Quetta emerged as one of the worst affected areas. Armed men were reported in several parts of the provincial capital, targeting police stations, security checkpoints, the Police Training Centre and sensitive red zone locations. A bank was set ablaze and multiple police vehicles were torched, creating widespread panic.
Security forces and law enforcement agencies responded swiftly, repelling the attacks and preventing further damage. The ISPR said the response demonstrated exceptional professionalism and resolve, ultimately disrupting the militants’ objectives.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti stated on Sunday that security operations over nearly 40 hours resulted in the killing of at least 145 militants. He confirmed that 31 civilians and 17 security personnel lost their lives during the violence.
The military said the attacks were carried out in Quetta, Mastung, Nushki, Dalbandin, Kharan, Panjgur, Tump, Gwadar and Pasni. In Gwadar, five members of a labourer family from Khuzdar were killed. In Pasni, a suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the gate of a Maritime Security Agency camp, where six militants were killed in the ensuing exchange. One agency soldier was martyred and another injured.
In Mastung, Kalat and Pasni, militants attempted to strike government buildings and security installations. Several people were injured in gun and bomb attacks in Mastung, where attackers also freed more than 30 inmates from the central jail. Clashes were reported near the deputy commissioner’s office and police lines in Kalat.
In Nushki, Deputy Commissioner Hussain Hazara and his family were abducted, with a video later released showing the official in captivity. He was subsequently freed. In Pasni, a Coast Guard post came under attack but security forces successfully pushed back the militants.
In Kharan, political and tribal leader Shahid Malazai and six of his guards were killed when gunmen stormed his residence. Three attackers were also killed during a follow-up exchange of fire. Elsewhere in Kalat, assaults on police stations and banks injured three police personnel and forced markets to shut amid fear and uncertainty.
The ISPR said the attacks were intended to destabilise daily life and undermine development in Balochistan by deliberately targeting civilians. Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Bugti reiterated that intelligence-based operations would continue without pause.
He revealed that Safe City surveillance cameras in Quetta were also targeted during the attacks and announced plans to expand CCTV coverage to eight cities to strengthen monitoring. Bugti praised security personnel for stopping a militant vehicle from reaching its intended target in the red zone and announced a high state award for an injured officer.
The chief minister vowed that terrorists would be pursued relentlessly, saying security forces would track them down and eliminate their hideouts wherever they operate.
