Daily Times

A vehicle-borne suicide bomber on Sunday attacked a security forces convoy in Balochistan’s Noskhi district, leaving three security personnel and two civilians martyred, the military’s media wing said in a statement.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), as a result of the attack, “five brave sons of soil embraced shahadat (martyrdom)”.

The martyred soldiers were identified as Nawabshah district’s Havildar Manzoor Ali, Naseer Abad district’s Havildar Ali Bilawal and Badin district’s Naik Abdul Raheem. Bus drivers Jalaluddin from Quetta and Muhammad Naeem from Kharan were also martyred, according to the ISPR. “In the ensuing sanitisation operation, the terrorists were pursued and after [an] intense fire exchange, three terrorists were effectively neutralised by the security forces,” the ISPR said.

The military’s media wing added that sanitisation operations in the area would continue and the “perpetrators of this heinous and cowardly act will be brought to justice”.

“Security forces of Pakistan, in step with the nation, remain determined to thwart attempts at sabotaging peace, stability and progress of Balochistan and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers and valiant civilians further strengthen our resolve,” the statement concluded.

Earlier in the day, state media reported that three Frontier Corps (FC) personnel were among five lives lost as the BLA targeted an FC convoy on a highway in Balochistan’s Noshki district.

The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) emerged as a key perpetrator of terrorist violence in Pakistan in 2024, as frequency of high-intensity attacks by outlawed groups has been increasing in the province, according to security reports.

According to PTV News, security forces had cordoned off the area, blocking all escape routes of terrorists.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi strongly condemned the blast near a passenger bus on the Nushki-Dalbandin Highway, which claimed five lives. Expressing his grief, he extended condolences to the victims’ families and wished a swift recovery for the injured.

In a statement shared by the Ministry of Interior on X, Naqvi denounced the attack as an act of brutality, emphasising that anti-state elements were attempting to destabilise the country.

Meanwhile, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti also condemned the blast near a passenger bus on the Nushki-Dalbandin highway, expressing sorrow over the loss of lives.

Two policemen were martyred while one security guard lost his life in separate overnight attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Karak and Peshawar districts, officials said on Sunday.

According to Karak District Police Officer (DPO) Shahbaz Elahi, terrorists attacked two police stations and a Sui Gas installation overnight. There was a heavy exchange of fire, which resulted in the martyrdom of two policemen and the death of a private security guard.

DPO Elahi told the media that terrorists attacked with heavy artillery, but Karak police repulsed all three attacks.

He said that armed men attacked the Khurram and Takht-e-Nasrati police stations, resulting in the martyrdom of police sub-inspector Islam Noor Khan in the latter assault.

In the Sui Gas installation attack, the assailants were chased but managed to flee in the darkness. One of them was killed by the police in the chase.

The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attacks in a statement.

Meanwhile, policeman Nazar Ali was martyred when unidentified terrorists opened fire at the Pajgi outpost of Michi Gate police station in Peshawar.

Separately, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Sunday ruled out the need for a grand operation in Balochistan as the province is reeling from a surge in terrorist attacks in recent days.

During his interaction with journalists in Faisalabad, Sanaullah said that intelligence-based operations were being conducted in the province on a daily basis. “What is the need for a grand operation [in Balochistan]?” he asked.

The PM’s aide said that the entire nation and institutions were committed to eradicating the menace of terrorism from the country.