Hundreds of LPG bowser vehicles stranded in Balochistan’s Taftan will be moved out under Pakistan Army security from Wednesday, officials said, after insecurity on the Quetta-Taftan highway disrupted supplies and contributed to shortages in parts of Pakistan.
District officials said the first phase would involve the movement of 400 LPG bowsers from the border town of Taftan towards Quetta, before they are sent onward to other areas.
According to officials, security clearance has been issued and drivers have been instructed to keep their vehicles and documents ready for the convoy movement.
The suspension of LPG transport from Taftan has affected supplies to Punjab and other parts of Pakistan, with reports of factory production being disrupted and prices rising in some areas.
The decision comes amid continued insecurity on the Quetta-Taftan route, where attacks on Pakistani forces, mineral transport and cargo vehicles have intensified in recent weeks.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed several attacks on highways in Balochistan as part of what it describes as an “economic blockade,” saying its fighters have targeted vehicles linked to mineral extraction, fuel transport and projects it says benefit the Pakistani state.
Transporters and traders have also halted loading on parts of the route, demanding security after repeated attacks on cargo and mineral vehicles.
In a recent statement, BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch said the group’s campaign was aimed at striking what he called the “economic lifeline” of the state by making its economic interests in Balochistan “insecure” and “unstable.”
“Until Balochistan is transformed into an inevitable economic burden for the occupying state, it is impossible to halt its blind military adventurism and the horrific cycle of Baloch genocide,” the statement said.
The BLA also warned transport owners and drivers to avoid carrying fuel, supplies or logistics for companies it described as exploitative, while advising ordinary passengers to avoid travelling near military convoys, Pakistani forces and vehicles linked to such projects on highways.
“Our war is a war for the complete sovereignty, national dignity and unconditional independence of the Baloch nation,” Jeeyand Baloch said, adding that the group’s “economic blockade and armed resistance” would continue.