Dozens of militants launched a pre-dawn, July 7, assault on a police post in a remote corner of southwestern Pakistan, touching off a fierce gunbattle that killed nine officers and left others wounded — the latest in a string of escalating attacks on security forces in the country’s most restive province.
The attack struck a post in Ziarat district, deep inside Balochistan province, where separatist insurgents and Islamist militants have intensified their campaign against the state. Eight police officers were abducted during the assault, though all were subsequently recovered by security forces, along with an additional constable, Balochistan government spokesman Shahid Rind said Tuesday. The abducted officers were brought safely to the Kach police station, Rind said. Among the nine officers killed were the station house officers of the Mangi and Kawas police stations.
Clearance Operation Kills 15 Militants
After the gunbattle subsided, a multi-agency clearance operation swept through the area with lethal results. Rind said a combined sweep by military and law enforcement units—including Frontier Corps troops, provincial police, counterterrorism specialists, special operations teams, and anti-terrorism personnel—successfully completed the clearance, killing 15 militants.
Rind vowed the government would not allow the attacks to go unanswered, warning that terrorists would find no safe haven in Balochistan. “Intelligence-based operations against militants will continue with greater effectiveness, and decisive action will be taken against those challenging the writ of the state,” he said. He added that the militants had paid a heavy price for attempting to disrupt peace in the province.
No Claim of Responsibility Yet
No group had immediately claimed responsibility for the Ziarat attack as of Tuesday, though suspicion is likely to settle on the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). The group had claimed a bombing targeting a military installation in the port city of Jiwani over the weekend, a claim the government has neither confirmed nor denied. Separately, gunmen opened fire on residents near Quetta city over the weekend, prompting villagers to stage a sit-in near the provincial capital demanding better security and protection against future violence.
The BLA, which Washington classified as a foreign terrorist organization in 2019, has carried out numerous strikes targeting security forces and civilians across Balochistan in recent years. The Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also maintain a strong foothold in the province and have conducted their own attacks there. Balochistan—the nation’s biggest province by area but smallest by population—has served as the battleground for a separatist rebellion and ongoing violence from the TTP.
Officials Condemn Attack, Trade Accusations
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi attributed the attack to what he described as Indian-backed militants, though he offered no evidence to support the claim. India has consistently denied Pakistani accusations that it backs separatists in Balochistan or supports the Pakistani Taliban. Naqvi also paid tribute to the slain officers and offered condolences to their families, saying such attacks “cannot sabotage peace.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the assault in a statement from his office, honoring the officers who died and expressing his sorrow to their families. “The attack has once again proved that these people are enemies of Balochistan’s development, peace and the prosperity of its people,” Sharif said. He vowed that no one would be allowed to undermine peace in Balochistan and that the fight against militants would continue until they were eliminated.
A Province Under Siege
The Ziarat assault fits a pattern of intensifying violence across Balochistan that has unfolded over recent years. While the BLA has concentrated its campaign on security forces and civilians throughout the province, the TTP’s presence adds another volatile layer to an already combustible security environment. Both groups have stepped up attacks on security forces in the region where insurgency has long plagued authorities.
The weekend attacks in Jiwani and on the outskirts of Quetta, combined with Tuesday’s toll from Ziarat, underscore the breadth and frequency of the threat now confronting Pakistani security forces across the province. Pakistani authorities have repeatedly accused India of backing militant groups operating in Balochistan, allegations that New Delhi denies. Rind, the provincial spokesman, made clear that authorities intend to press ahead with intelligence-based operations against militants regardless of the challenges.
