A vehicle-borne suicide bomber targeted a security forces convoy in Balochistan’s Noshki district on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of three security personnel and two civilians, according to a statement from the military’s media wing, ISPR. The attack claimed the lives of “five brave sons of the soil,” the ISPR stated.
Authorities identified Havildar Manzoor Ali from Nawabshah, Havildar Ali Bilawal from Naseer Abad, and Naik Abdul Raheem from Badin as the martyred security personnel. The civilians who lost their lives were bus drivers Jalaluddin from Quetta and Muhammad Naeem from Kharan.
Following the attack, security forces initiated a sanitization operation in which three terrorists were killed during an intense exchange of fire. The operation to secure the area is ongoing, and ISPR vowed that the perpetrators will be brought to justice. “These sacrifices further strengthen our resolve to thwart efforts aimed at destabilizing peace, stability, and progress in Balochistan,” the military’s media wing added.
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The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a banned militant group known for targeting security forces and civilians in Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the attack, state media reported. The frequency of such high-intensity attacks in the province has raised concerns, as security forces work to confront increasing militant activity.
Senior officials reported that more than 30 paramilitary members sustained injuries in the attack. Noshki’s Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Hashim Momand confirmed the number of casualties, while SHO Zafarullah Sumalani indicated that evidence suggested the attacker rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the convoy. Many local hospitals are treating the wounded, and several remain in critical condition, raising fears that the death toll could rise.
The attack drew widespread condemnation from leaders across Pakistan. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed their grief and offered prayers for the departed souls and the injured. The prime minister directed officials to ensure the best possible treatment for those wounded, affirming that such acts of terrorism would not deter the nation’s resolve.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also denounced the attack, describing it as the “height of brutality” and part of an anti-state conspiracy to destabilize the country. Similarly, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti condemned the incident and pledged firm action against those responsible. He stated that cowardly attacks will not lower their morale and vowed to restore peace in Balochistan at all costs.
The provincial government echoed these sentiments, with spokesperson Shahid Rind asserting that terrorist actions would not succeed in undermining national stability. “We stand in solidarity with the families of the victims and will not waver in our fight against these enemies of peace,” Rind emphasized.
