Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized the need for a resolute stance against terrorism following a series of horrific attacks in Balochistan that left at least 50 people dead, including 14 security personnel. Addressing a federal cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the prime minister declared that there was “no room for any weakness” in the nation’s fight against terrorism.
The deadly violence erupted on Sunday midnight when militants, reportedly affiliated with the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), launched coordinated attacks across the province. The militants targeted both security forces and civilians, with a particular focus on those from Punjab.
In one of the deadliest incidents, 23 people were killed in Musakhail, a district bordering Punjab, after militants checked their identity documents. The attackers also stormed police stations, destroyed railway tracks, and set fire to nearly three dozen vehicles across the province.
In Khadkocha, militants blocked a highway before taking Levies officials hostage at a local police station. The standoff ended with the arrival of security forces, but not before the militants set the station ablaze. Meanwhile, in Kalat, militants launched attacks on a Levies station, two hotels, and a tribal elder’s residence, resulting in the deaths of 11 people, including security personnel.
The Bolan district’s Kolpur area also witnessed violence, where six bodies were recovered, believed to be victims of the militants.
In response to the attacks, security forces launched operations across Balochistan, neutralizing 21 militants. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi vowed to eradicate terrorism from the province.
Prime Minister Shehbaz, condemning the brutal attacks, called for national unity and stressed the importance of identifying and confronting the nation’s enemies. “We have to move forward with a resolute decision. There is no room for any kind of weakness,” he urged.
