Over 150 people were killed in coordinated militant attacks across Pakistan’s Balochistan, forcing an internet blackout and massive security clampdown. With Quetta deserted and the military on high alert, questions are mounting over what comes next.
Over 150 dead in Balochistan as militants launch coordinated attacks
Quetta: Pakistan’s volatile Balochistan province witnessed one of its bloodiest days in recent years after a series of coordinated militant attacks left over 150 people dead, triggering sweeping security restrictions and an extensive military crackdown.
According to official figures cited by Reuters, at least 31 civilians, 17 security personnel, and 145 militants were killed in the violence that erupted across multiple locations on Saturday. The attacks have heightened fears of renewed instability in a region already grappling with a long-running separatist insurgency.
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Security officials said militants struck around a dozen locations, including the provincial capital Quetta, targeting banks, jails, and military installations. AFP reported that a deputy district commissioner was abducted during the attacks, underscoring the scale and coordination of the assault.
On Sunday, large areas remained sealed off as troops conducted search operations, while investigations and rescue efforts entered their second day.
The impact of the violence was visible across Quetta, where normally crowded streets lay deserted. Businesses remained shut, road traffic was thin, and residents stayed indoors amid concerns of further attacks.
Debris, twisted metal, and damaged vehicles littered several roads, bearing testimony to the intensity of explosions and gun battles. “Anyone who leaves home has no certainty of returning safe and sound,” a local shopkeeper told AFP, reflecting the fear gripping the city.
As part of heightened security measures, authorities suspended mobile internet services across Balochistan for over 24 hours. Train services were halted, and road connectivity remained disrupted, significantly affecting daily life and movement across the province.
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The Pakistan military said it had launched “sanitisation operations” in the affected areas and vowed to bring all those involved to justice. In a late-night statement, the military warned that the perpetrators and their supporters would face decisive action.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), the most active separatist militant group in the province, claimed responsibility, stating it targeted military, police, and civil administration sites through gun attacks and suicide bombings.
The violence followed military operations a day earlier in which 41 insurgents were reportedly killed. Amid the fallout, India rejected Pakistan’s claims of Indian involvement. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal dismissed the allegations as baseless, urging Islamabad to address internal grievances and human rights concerns in the region.
