No group has claimed responsibility for the bomb blast near the Balochistan National Party (BNP) public rally in Quetta on Tuesday evening, which killed at least 14 people and injured 35 others, according to officials at Quetta Civil Hospital.
The explosion occurred close to a BNP gathering, heightening concerns over the security of political events in the region. This is not the first such incident targeting BNP leadership in recent months.
On 29 March 2025, a suicide bomber blew himself up near a BNP rally in Mastung. BNP-Mengal (BNP-M) chief Akhtar Mengal was present at the rally but remained unhurt. In that case too, no group stepped forward to claim responsibility.
Following the Mastung attack, Akhtar Mengal posted on social media, terming it a “failed attempt” to sabotage his protest. While Mengal did not name any terrorist group, he suggested that the state may have been behind the attack.
This silence from militant groups is being seen by observers as part of a new and dangerous tactic. By choosing not to claim attacks, terrorist organizations may be attempting to create confusion around the perpetrators and enable political actors to use such incidents to further their own narratives.
A similar pattern was seen on 11 July, when Awami National Party (ANP) leader Maulana Khan Zeb was assassinated along with a guard in Khar, Bajaur. Once again, no group took responsibility. In the absence of a claim, members of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) and others took to social media to blame the state.
This emerging pattern—where no group claims responsibility for attacks on political figures such as Akhtar Mengal—creates a vacuum in which blame can be shifted toward the state, fueling political tension and public mistrust.
While groups like Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) have historically claimed attacks to gain attention or further ideological goals, they have increasingly refrained from doing so in select high-profile cases. This selective silence is viewed by analysts as an attempt to manipulate public perception and complicate law enforcement investigations.
The recent attacks, particularly on Akhtar Mengal, suggest the same trend. The BLA’s refusal to claim responsibility, despite its operational presence in the region, raises questions about the broader motive—possibly to shift blame or exploit the political fallout.
Security analysts warn that this tactic of unclaimed attacks poses a serious threat to political stability and public confidence, especially in volatile regions like Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Without clear accountability, the cycle of violence risks being politicized, leading to deeper divisions and weakening counterterrorism efforts.
