QUETTA – Balochistan faced coordinated terrorist attacks across 12 locations today, targeting Quetta, and other cities.
According to Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, at least 37 militants and 10 security personnel lost their lives during the deadly incidents. The attacks included bombings, armed assaults, and hostage situations, triggering a full-scale security response across the province.
The attacks in Quetta started around 6 am, spreading from Saryab Road and Hazarganji to Edhi Chowk, near the Red Zone. A massive explosion occurred at Edhi Chowk, though officials are still assessing its exact nature.
After these attacks, the Red Zone was sealed, government offices including the Secretariat and courts were shut, and internet services in the city were suspended. Helicopters patrolled the skies as authorities worked to secure the city.
Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) confirmed that four alleged militants were killed during an operation on Saryab Road. In addition, train services from Quetta were suspended, including the Jafar Express to Peshawar, which was stopped at Jakabad.
Security forces faced another major crisis in Mastung, where an attack on the local jail allowed 27 prisoners to escape. Authorities are conducting searches to recapture the fugitives.
In Nushki, terrorists targeted the Deputy Commissioner’s residence, taking him hostage during the attack.
Seven people, including Mir Shahid Gul Malazi, chairman of the Malazi National Alliance, were killed when terrorists attacked his home in Kharan. His house and vehicle were set on fire during the assault.
In Gwadar, 11 members of a Khuzdar family, including three women and three children, were brutally killed in terrorist attacks confirmed by security sources.
Pasni witnessed an attempted attack by a female suicide bomber targeting the Maritime Security Agency office. Officials have not yet released casualty details.
In Mekh, local authorities instructed residents to remain indoors due to security threats. Mosques were used to broadcast warnings, emphasizing the severity of the situation.
Balochistan Chief Minister Bugti saod that in the past 12 months, security forces eliminated over 700 terrorists in the province. He confirmed that in the last two days alone, 70 militants were killed in various operations. He said, “These cowardly attacks cannot weaken our resolve against terrorism. The state will not rest until the last terrorist is eliminated.”
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attacks in the strongest terms, confirming that 37 militants and 10 security personnel were killed in the counter-operations.
The banned militant organization Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attacks, describing them as the second phase of “Operation Hero.”
Authorities have urged residents to remain vigilant and follow official instructions as security forces continue to secure the province.
