Passenger bus services from major cities of Pakistan to Quetta were suspended on Saturday due to the prevailing security situation across Balochistan, with all busses halted at Rakhni, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded, transport sources said.
According to officials and transport operators, the suspension has affected a large number of travelers across multiple cities, while uncertainty continues to surround other intercity transport links to and from Quetta. Bus operators said services would remain suspended until further notice amid security concerns.
At the same time, internet services have been completely shut down in Quetta and several other areas of Balochistan, further disrupting daily life. The communications blackout has coincided with partial or complete suspension of air and train services, bringing commercial activity and routine communications to a near standstill.
Educational activities have also been affected. The administration of Cadet College Mastung announced that the entry test scheduled for Sunday, February 1, 2026, has been postponed due to unavoidable circumstances. According to the college, the test will now be held on Thursday, February 5, 2026.
The disruptions follow the announcement by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) a day earlier that it had launched secon phase of its “Operation Herof” across Balochistan. Since the announcement, reports of attacks and armed clashes have continued to emerge from various areas, although independent verification remains difficult due to restrictions on movement and communications.
Meanwhile, the BLA said that its operations under Operation Herof were still ongoing several hours later. Late on Saturday night, the group announced that it had released Deputy Commissioner Nushki Mahmood Hussain Hazara, who had been taken into custody during the course of the operation.
Earlier, the BLA had released a video on its official channel “Hakkal,” showing the deputy commissioner and his wife in the custody of armed men. In the video, the deputy commissioner is seen stating that he was being held by the BLA. The group later confirmed that he had been released unharmed.