An 18-year-old Hazara youth was killed and two others were seriously injured when banned BLA terrorists opened fire on a group returning to Quetta from a picnic in the Bolan area of Balochistan, according to local reports.
The deceased was identified as Mustafa, son of Nadir Ali, while two other members of the six-member group sustained serious injuries in the attack. The youths, residents of Quetta’s Hazara community, were travelling back to the city when their vehicle came under attack.
According to initial reports, the attackers targeted the group while it was passing through the Bolan area. Mustafa was killed in the shooting, while two others were wounded and taken to hospital for treatment. The remaining members of the group survived the attack.
However, the earliest reports from the scene described the attackers of banned BLA, and an official confirmation identifying the perpetrators had not been issued at the time of publication. The incident is being investigated.
Emergency teams shifted Mustafa’s body and the injured to hospital shortly after the attack. Following the post-mortem examination, his body was handed over to his family for burial. Police and administrative officials also cordoned off the area and launched a search for those responsible.
The attack has renewed concerns about the safety of civilians travelling through Bolan, a strategically important corridor connecting Quetta with other parts of Balochistan. The latest shooting is particularly significant because the wider Bolan-Mach area has previously witnessed deadly attacks against members of the Hazara community.
In January 2021, 11 Hazara coal miners were killed in Machh, in Bolan district, after terrorist abducted them from their residential compound near the coalfield. The victims were identified as members of the Hazara community.
The Machh killings triggered widespread anger and a prolonged protest in Quetta, with members of the Hazara community demanding protection and justice for the victims. The incident remains one of the most prominent attacks against the community in Balochistan in recent years.
Nevertheless, the targeting of Hazara civilians travelling through the same broader area has again highlighted the vulnerability of ordinary citizens on remote roads and routes where terrorist groups have previously operated.
The shooting also comes amid a wider escalation in terrorism across Balochistan. Security forces have conducted a series of intelligence-based operations in different districts in recent weeks, including actions against terrorists in Kachhi, Chagai, Kalat, Nushki and other areas.
On October 1, security forces reported killing six terrorists in an intelligence-based operation in Sanni, Kachhi, with weapons and ammunition recovered.
Attacks on travellers can have a wider impact by restricting movement, discouraging recreational and economic activity and creating fear among communities already affected by years of violence.
Police and security officials are continuing the investigation and search operation.
The killing of Mustafa has once again brought the security of Hazara civilians into focus, particularly on routes passing through areas that have previously witnessed deadly terrorist attacks.
