In a series of armed attacks in Balochistan, five individuals were killed in an attack by unidentified armed individuals in the Parom area of Panjgur district late last night. The attackers targeted security personnel stationed at an under-construction dam, leaving five dead and one injured. The victims include Zahir Ali from Panjgur, Aminullah from Quetta, Nawaz from Sindh, Hussain Ali Shah from Kalat, and Abdul Ghafoor from Balgatar, while Muhammad Shafi from Balgatar was injured. Reports indicate that the assailants seized weapons from the deceased and set construction machinery and two rooms ablaze.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for the attack. In a statement, BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch stated that the attack was carried out by BLA’s Fatah Squad based on intelligence from BLA’s intelligence wing, Zirab. The attack targeted members of “death squads” allegedly supported by Pakistan’s military and intelligence agencies, whom the BLA claims are engaged in counterinsurgency operations against the Baloch independence movement.
According to the BLA, four “death squad” members were killed in the attack, while one fled, leaving his weapon behind. Additionally, BLA forces reportedly intercepted and killed Zahir Shambe Zai, the brother of the squad’s leader, as he advanced toward the attack site, with two of his companions managing to escape.
The BLA claims to have destroyed two crushers, heavy machinery, and other equipment linked to what they call an “exploitative project” in the Parom area. The group has accused local collaborators of working with Pakistan’s military forces, aiding with logistics, intelligence, and transport for security forces in the region. They warn that these collaborators, who allegedly coerce locals into informing on Baloch freedom fighters, will face severe consequences.
In a related incident, BLA forces reportedly killed a Pakistan Military Intelligence (MI) operative, Syed Khan from Dera Bugti, in Quetta’s Killi Qambrani area earlier today. According to the BLA, Khan was an informant for Pakistan’s intelligence agencies and was involved in recruiting locals to spy for them.
Meanwhile, Balochistan police have issued a notification warning officers that the BLA is planning abductions of government officials in Panjgur, Kech, and Awaran districts. “High-ranking officials such as DPOs, DCs, or ACs could be targeted in retaliation for the recent disappearance of BLA leader Basheer Zeb’s brother, Zaheer Baloch,” police notification stated.
It is worth mentioning that Zaheer Baloch went missing on June 27 en route from his office on Quetta’s Zarghoon Road to his home on Sariab Road. Despite assurances from authorities during protests and sit-ins by Zaheer Baloch’s family, his whereabouts remain unknown.
The BLA reiterated its intent to continue such operations, emphasizing that any individual working against the Baloch nationalist cause, regardless of ethnicity or affiliation, would be considered an enemy and dealt with accordingly.