BLA frees three tourists kidnapped near Quetta, says 7 undergoing 'judicial investigation'

Three of the 10 tourists abducted last week in Balochistan by separatist militants have been released, a local paramilitary official reported on Tuesday.

The tourists were kidnapped last Wednesday night at Shaban, a popular tourist spot 35 kilometers from Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant group, claimed responsibility for the kidnappings.

Levies paramilitary official Ajmal Khan confirmed on Tuesday that three individuals, including a Pakistan customs official, had been released, without providing details on how their release was secured.

“Levies have cordoned off the area and a search operation is underway,” Khan stated.

Six of the ten abducted tourists are from the same family.

“Soon we will recover the remaining seven abductees,” said Home Minister Zia Langove.

The BLA is the most prominent among several separatist groups operating in Balochistan, advocating for complete independence for the province. Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province by territory but has a small population due to its arid and mountainous terrain. The region has experienced a decades-long insurgency over what separatists describe as the unfair exploitation of its mineral-rich resources.

A BLA spokesperson said in an emailed statement that the three tourists were released because they were found to be "innocent," without specifying the context of their innocence.

“BLA had detained ten individuals after an intelligence tip-off,” the BLA stated. “The remaining suspects are undergoing judicial investigation and proceedings.”

Balochistan borders Afghanistan to the north, Iran to the west, and has a long coastline along the Arabian Sea. It hosts Pakistan’s largest natural gas field and is believed to have many more undiscovered reserves. The province is also rich in precious metals, including gold, with production increasing in recent years.

While most separatist groups operate independently, recent local media reports suggest increasing cooperation among them. Pakistani security forces have been the primary target of these groups, but in recent years they have also targeted Chinese interests due to Beijing’s growing economic presence in the region.