Armed men briefly set up a roadblock in Quetta on Saturday night, while a separate grenade attack in Khuzdar was claimed by the BLF.
Witnesses said a group of armed individuals established a checkpoint near Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Quetta at around 9 p.m. They reportedly detained a police officer, seized his weapon and belongings, and carried out snap checks for about half an hour before leaving the area. The police officer was later released.
Incidents of temporary roadblocks by armed groups have been reported with increasing frequency in Balochistan, raising security concerns for government officials, security forces and their allied groups travelling on highways.
Separately, the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) claimed responsibility for a grenade attack in Khuzdar on Friday night. A spokesperson, Major Gwahram Baloch said the blast targeted the guesthouse of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Agha Shakeel Durrani, described by the group as linked to local “death squad” militias. According to the statement, six people were injured.
The developments come two days after the Baloch Liberation Army’s Majeed Brigade said it carried out a major suicide attack on a Pakistan military convoy in Kech district’s Dasht area, claiming heavy casualties. Security officials have not confirmed the number of losses.