Quetta | Pakistan

Security forces killed 17 terrorists during intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in different districts of Balochistan following the suicide car bomb attack against a shuttle train in Quetta, said a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Tuesday. At least 14 people were killed and 20 others were injured in the incident, which took place on May 24. The IBOs were conducted in the districts of Mastung, Nushki, Khuzdar and Kech. The military’s media wing added that multiple terrorist locations were targeted by security personnel during these operations. “Following intense and fierce exchanges of fire, 17 terrorists belonging to Indian-sponsored Fitna al Hindustan have been sent to hell, giving a significant blow to the terrorist networks operating in these areas,” the statement read. The state has designated Balochistan-based terrorist groups as Fitna-al-Hindustan to highlight India’s alleged role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan. ISPR added that weapons, ammunition an...

QUETTA: Pakistan Rai­lways resumed train operations from Balochistan on Saturday, restoring services after a three-day suspension, railway officials said. According to the officials, train operations from the province have been fully restored, with the Jaffar Express departing from Quetta for Peshawar. They said that the return service of the Jaffar Express will also depart from Peshawar for Quetta as per the timetable, restoring connectivity between the province and other parts of the country. The Jaffar Express, the only train service from Quetta to Peshawar, was suspended last Sunday following a vehicle-borne suicide bombing that targeted a shuttle train near the Chaman railway crossing. The Jaffar Express, which was ready to depart for its destination, was immediately stopped and later cancelled. Passengers were asked to collect refunds. However, after two days, the train service was restored, but on Wednesday it was again suspended. Railway authorities have not mentioned the reason for the suspension of ...

Political leaders across Balochistan have strongly condemned the recent blast in Quetta and reaffirmed their resolve to stand united against terrorist elements, pledging decisive action against those responsible.

BLA claims responsibility for attack Three FC men among victims as explosion derails engine, three bogies near Chaman Phatak” Emergency declared in Quetta hospitals President, PM, CM condemn attack.

Condemnations poured in on Sunday after suicide attack in Quetta claimed more than 10 lives and left several others injured, with global actors expressing solidarity with Pakistan. The attack targeted a shuttle train, with images following the blast showing a mangled train carriage on its side as people clambered over the wreckage to find survivors. People could be seen carrying blood-soaked victims on stretchers away from a derailed car, while security personnel stood guard. Images from the scene also showed burnt-out vehicles, damaged residential buildings and twisted metal and debris scattered near the railway track, with smoke rising from the wreckage. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack in separate statements, expressing the resolve to continue the fight against terrorism. Condemnations poured in from others as well, with the Chinese embassy in Pakistan extending “deep condolences to the deceased victims and sincere sympathies to the bereaved families”. “We f...

QUETTA: At least 14 people were killed and 20 others were injured after a blast caused by a vehicle-borne suicide bombing tore through a shuttle train in Quetta on Sunday morning, the Balochistan government said. Hours after the blast, the provincial government said in a statement it was confirming with “profound grief and deep concern” that a train shuttle service near Chaman Phatak in Quetta was targeted in a vehicle-borne suicide bombing. “This cowardly act of terrorism is not only an attack on innocent human lives but also a heinous attempt to undermine peace, stability, and normal civic life in Balochistan,” the statement said. Citing initial reports, it added that “14 people embraced martyrdom while 20 others sustained injuries, including women and children”. “Among the martyrs were three personnel of the Frontier Corps, while the majority of victims were civilians, including pedestrians, passengers, bystanders, and residents living in houses adjacent to the blast site. “Tragically, an entire family of ...

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited Quetta following the Chaman Phatak blast, where he was briefed on the initial findings of the investigation.

At least 14 people, including three personnel of the Frontier Corps (FC), were martyred while several others sustained injuries in a blast near a railway track close to Chaman Phatak in Quetta on Sunday, according to the Balochistan government spokesperson.

QUETTA: As many as 13 terrorists were killed, while four Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel were martyred and six others injured during separate operations conducted by the CTD and security forces in the Panjpai and Noshar areas on the outskirts of Quetta, and in Pishin. A spokesperson for CTD said that nine terrorists belonging to a banned outfit were killed, while four Counter-Terrorism Depart­ment personnel were martyred and six others injured during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) conducted by the CTD and security forces in the Panjpai and Noshar areas near Quetta district on Saturday. He said the operation was carried out on the outskirts of Quetta after authorities received information about the presence of terrorists. “A heavy gun battle continued for more than three hours. Nine terrorists were killed, while four CTD personnel embraced martyrdom and six others were injured in the intense exchange of fire,” the spokesperson said. 13 terrorists killed during IBOs in Pishin, Panjpai and No...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the ongoing operation against terrorists is continuing with full force during his visit to the Command and Staff College in Quetta.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Quetta on Tuesday on a day-long visit to review the security situation and development matters in Balochistan.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Quetta on Tuesday for a one-day visit, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Balochistan Governor Jaffar Khan Mandokhail received the prime minister upon his arrival, his office said on a post on the social media platform X. During the visit, the premier will hold a meeting with the provincial leadership in Quetta and chair a meeting of the provincial apex committee of the National Action Plan, state-run Radio Pakistan reported. PM Shehbaz had also visited Quetta on Jan 18, where he addressed political leaders and announced several development projects worth billions of rupees for the province’s education and infrastructure sectors. “Be it the soldiers and officials of the army, Rangers personnel, or those of the Levies, and the common man, their sacrifices will be remembered in history,” PM Shehbaz said during his visit. “Balochistan is a beautiful part of Pakistan, and their demand was valid to an extent,” the premier added, noting that it was “obvious that...

QUETTA: The vice chancellor and pro-vice chancellor of the University of Gwadar, who had left Balochistan’s port city for Quetta, have gone missing, officials told Dawn on Thursday. Vice Chancellor Dr Abdul Razzaq Sabir and Pro-Vice Chancellor Syed Manzoor Ahmed have been missing for the past 24 hours, the officials said on Thursday afternoon. Babar Yousafzai, an aide at the Balochistan Home Department, said Dr Sabir and Ahmed had left for Quetta along with a driver and another varsity employee on Wednesday morning. “But they have not reached Quetta so far,” he added. The official further said the travellers’ mobile phones had been switched off after they reached Mastung. “All efforts are under way to trace the vice chancellor, pro-vice chancellor and two others traveling them,” Yousafzai said. Meanwhile, police officials in Mastung told Dawn that the possibility of kidnapping could not be ruled out. A senior police official also said that there had been no communication with Dr Sabir and Ahmed since they rea...

Four people, including the Vice Chancellor and Pro Vice Chancellor of University of Gwadar, reportedly went missing while travelling from Gwadar to Quetta, officials said on Wednesday.

Light rainfall in Quetta and nearby areas has made the weather pleasant, while more showers are expected in several parts of Balochistan, according to the Meteorological Department.

President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday paid tribute to the Counter Terrorism Department of Balochistan for the successful operation against terrorists in Quetta and Barkhan.

QUETTA: The Balochistan Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on Wednesday said a total of 14 suspected militants were killed in separate security operations in Quetta and Barkhan districts. In a statement, the CTD said eight armed men were killed during a security operation in Quetta’s Darakhshan area. “Eight armed persons were killed in a fire exchange during the operation,” read the statement, adding that three CTD personnel were injured during the action. According to the CTD, weapons and ammunition were recovered from the killed miscreants. It noted that the dead individuals were said to be from a banned outfit. In a separate statement, the CTD said “six terrorists were killed in a fire exchange” during an intelligence-based operation in Barkhan. “All security personnel remained safe,” it stated, adding that arms and ammunition were recovered from the killed militants. “The terrorists were involved in the planning of disruptive actions,” the CTD said, reaffirming to continue its efforts to eliminate terrori...

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif arrived in Quetta on Tuesday on a one-day official visit.

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR/QUETTA: Most of the markets in Lahore and Islamabad were open on Sunday, despite a strike call by opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP) in protest of alleged discrepancies in the 2024 general elections. The PTI — a part of the TTAP — had announced a strike today to mark the second anniversary of the Feb 8, 2024 general elections, which it alleges were marred by rigging. The party also said it will observe a day of mourning following Friday’s suicide bombing at an imambargah in Islamabad that claimed at least 36 lives. A partial shutdown was observed in Peshawar, while a complete shutdown strike was reported in Quetta. In Lahore, all major markets remained closed, primarily due to Sunday and the ongoing Basant festival. In the evening, the TTAP could not hold a torch-bearing rally outside Islamabad’s Faisal Mosque as planned, claiming road closures and the arrest of over two dozen workers. Despite the alleged arrests of over two dozen workers — including eight...

QUETTA: Train services were restored in Balochistan on Thursday, after five days of suspension, as the tense security situation eased following a series of counter-terrorism operations in response to a spate of attacks in the province. However, mobile data services remained suspended for the sixth day in Quetta and some other districts. “Train services within Balochistan and to other provinces have been,” Muhammad Kashif, spokesperson for Pakistan Railways’ Quetta division, confirmed to Dawn. He particularly mentioned that the services of the Jaffar Express train on the Quetta-Peshawar route and the Karachi-bound Bolan Mail had been suspended since January 31. The railway official added that both had been restored now. He further said that operations of the Quetta-Chaman passenger train had also resumed, and it departed today at its scheduled time. On the other hand, mobile data services remained suspended in the provincial capital for the sixth consecutive day. The mobile internet was still inaccessible in Q...