Balochistan | Pakistan

QUETTA/ PESHAWAR: Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments announced energy conservation measures on Sunday, setting timings for the closure of markets, eateries and wedding halls. According to a notification issued by the Balochistan Home Department, all markets and shopping centres are to be closed by 8pm. However, pharmacies, tandoors and bakeries have been exempted from the restriction. The notification also stated that all events being held in wedding halls, banquet halls and hotels must end by 10pm, and that restaurants should also close by 10pm. It said the provincial government had directed district administration and law enforcement agencies to ensure strict implementation of the orders and violators would face action under relevant laws. Divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners and police officials have also been instructed to ensure immediate enforcement of the new directives. Closure timings in KP Similarly, a public notice issued by the office of the KP chief secretary said all market...

Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Sunday predicted widespread rain and thunderstorms in northeast Balochistan, lower Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and south Punjab on April 6 (Monday). In a statement, the Met Office said, “Widespread rain-windstorm/thunderstorm (with isolated heavyfalls and hailstorm) is expected in northeast Balochistan, lower Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and south Punjab, while partly cloudy weather with rain windstorm/thunderstorm is likely at isolated places in Sindh, upper/central Punjab, south/central Balochistan, upper KP, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir during evening/night of Monday.” The Met Office also issued a warning, saying there were chances of flash floods in local nullahs or streams in northeast Balochistan, lower KP and hill torrents of Punjab’s Dera Ghazi Khan on April 6 due to heavy rainfall. It said that landslides and flash flooding could also occur in local nullahs or streams of Kashmir, upper KP, Murree and Galiyat on April 7 and 8. “Windstorm/ hailstorm and lightning may damage wea...

QUETTA: The Balochistan government on Saturday fixed the price of Iranian smuggled petrol at Rs280 per litre and announced that strict action would be taken against those charging more than this rate. Officials said that a meeting presided over by Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti decided that Iranian petrol would be sold in Balochistan at a fixed price announced by the provincial government. “The Iranian petrol will be sold only in Balochistan, and it will not be allowed to be sent out of the province,” said Kalat Deputy Commissioner Munir Ahmed Durrani, adding that nobody would be allowed to charge more than the fixed rate. He said there was no justification for selling Iranian petrol at the rate announced by the federal government for imported petroleum products. “The authorities will start strict checks and will take legal action against those found selling Iranian petrol at higher prices.” People involved in the Iranian petrol business had increased prices soon after the federal government announced highe...

• Over 30 districts face flood-like situation as severe weather persists • Lightning kills 12-year-old girl; flash floods damage infrastructure, cause widespread communication disruptions • Rescuers save 15 from stranded van; major highways cut off • Authorities ban travel; Met Office warns of severe flooding through April 3 QUETTA: A fresh spell of heavy, intermittent rain accompanied by strong winds, thunder and hail has pummelled more than 30 districts across Balochistan over the past 24 hours, triggering flash floods that have caused widespread disruption, infrastructure damage and at least one fatality. Widespread heavy rainfall was reported on Wed­n­esday in Quetta, Khuz­dar, Kalat, Surab, Lasbela, Hub, Kech, Gwadar, Qila Saifullah, Qila Abdullah, Zhob, Harnai, Loralai, Kohlu, Awaran, Kharan, Mastung, Sherani, Ziarat and other areas, creating flood-like conditions in many localities. Low-lying areas have been submerged, flash flo­ods have damaged emb­a­n­kments, and residents are facing severe hardships...

The Health Services Academy (HSA) and the Project Management Unit (PMU-HSRMU), Government of Balochistan, have signed two strategic agreements aimed at strengthening the provincial healthcare workforce and improving service delivery in underserved areas.

A significant gas pipeline explosion in Akhtarabad has caused widespread disruption of gas supply across several districts in Balochistan, authorities confirmed.

Schools in Sindh and Balochistan will resume classes from April 1 (Wednesday) and follow a five-day working week amid the fuel crisis, the provincial governments said on Tuesday. On March 9, the Balochistan provincial government had announced that educational institutions, including schools, colleges and universities, would remain closed from March 10 to March 31 due to the global fuel crisis triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran. According to a notification posted on the provincial government’s X account, it was announced that “all schools (public and private) in Balochistan shall re-open with effect from April 1 (Wednesday)”. However, it added that due to the current fuel situation, “all schools (public & private), the provincial directorate, divisional directorates and the district offices of the School Education Department shall observe a five-day working week (Monday to Friday)”. Saturday and Sunday will remain off, the notification said. “All examinations/assessments shall be conducted as per the notif...

Flood roads in Balochistan; picnic ban imposed in Mastung

Security forces in Balochistan have arrested a female suicide bomber, foiling a major terrorist plot, Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said on Wednesday.

ISLAMABAD - The centre and the provincial government on Monday agreed to deploy newly restructured Federal Constabulary in Balochistan to restore peace in the troubled region.

GWADAR: Five labourers from Sindh were injured in a grenade attack on a house in the coastal town of Pasni late Tuesday night, police said. Unknown people riding motorbikes hurled a grenade at a residential quarter in Ward No. 9, resulting in an explosion in the house’s courtyard, according to police reports. As a result, five people said to be from Sindh were injured while a portion of the quarter was damaged. Police rushed to the site soon after the blast and shifted the injured to the district hospital. “The condition of one injured is serious, while others are stable despite receiving multiple injuries,” a police official said. They all belonged to Larkana and Qambar Shahdadkot, and were staying in Gwadar to work as labourers. Police are investigating the incident. No one has claimed responsibility for the grenade attack as yet. There has been a rise in militancy in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the past year. However, there was a decline in militant attacks following the launch of retaliatory “Op...

The government of Balochistan has launched the Green Peoples Bus Service in Turbat to provide residents with safe, comfortable and efficient travel facilities while improving urban mobility in the region.

Punjab and Balochistan close schools

The governments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Balochistan announced fuel-saving measures on Monday, including the closure of educational institutions and a reduction in fuel allowances for official vehicles. The decisions to implement these measures come amid the global fuel crisis triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran. KP govt’s decisions The KP government decided to implement the measures for a period of two months, cutting the allowance for official vehicles by 25 per cent. According to an official handout, the provincial cabinet met and approved the “Fuel Conservation and Responsible Governance Initiative”. The statement quoted Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information and Public Relations Shafi Jan as saying that the fuel conservation measures would be implemented for two months on the instructions of KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. He said it was decided that the provincial government would continue to monitor the situation to see if the measures could be extended. According to Jan, t...

Authorities in Balochistan have announced the temporary shutdown of all educational institutions across the province due to the current security environment.

Security forces killed 15 militants during two separate intelligence-based operations in Balochistan on March 5, the military’s media wing said on Saturday.

The return of Pakistani nationals from Iran continued for the sixth consecutive day, with hundreds entering the country through border crossings in Balochistan.

Tahir Ashrafi, Chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council, has expressed satisfaction over the prevailing security conditions in Balochistan, asserting that safeguarding national interests and public protection remains the state’s foremost priority.

ISLAMABAD - The Chief Minister of Balochistan, Sarfaraz Bugti, visited the residence of the Deputy Chairman Senate, Syedal Khan Nasar, to offer his heartfelt condolences on the demise of the wife of his elder brother.

The military’s media affairs wing said on Thursday that 10 terrorists were killed by security forces during an operation in Balochistan’s Zhob. In a statement, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that after an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Zhob on February 24, in which eight Indian-sponsored terrorists were killed, security forces conducted a comprehensive sanitisation operation on Wednesday to hunt down “hiding khwarij” belonging to Indian proxy Fitna al Khwarij. Fitna al Khwarij is a term that the state has designated for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan. “During the conduct of the operation, own forces tracked down Khwarij on multiple routes and effectively engaged their locations. After an ensuing fire exchange, ten Indian-sponsored khwarij were sent to hell,” the statement said. It added that weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the terrorists, who were actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area. “Sanitisation operations are being conducted ...