A deadly explosion struck a military convoy near Zero Point in the Khuzdar district of Balochistan earlier today, reportedly targeting a bus carrying Pakistani army personnel. According to regional sources, the convoy was departing from the cantonment area when the blast occurred. The Pakistani military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), has confirmed the attack, calling it a “coordinated terrorist act.”
Initial reports indicate that five individuals have been killed, with several others injured, some critically. The ISPR has stated that the attack involved “foreign-sponsored actors,” suggesting alleged involvement by Indian state agencies in efforts to destabilise the region. The statement further claimed that India, having “failed on the battlefield,” is now engaging in covert operations to fuel unrest in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through proxy agents.
The explosion reportedly destroyed the bus entirely. Local police informed a British news agency that a small vehicle found near the bus was also destroyed. Preliminary investigations suggest that the explosives may have been planted in that vehicle, although it remains unclear whether the blast was remotely detonated or carried out by a suicide bomber.
Security forces quickly cordoned off the area and launched a search operation. Helicopters were seen hovering above the site in the immediate aftermath. The wounded were taken to nearby hospitals, where some are said to be in critical condition. The security forces have restricted civilian and media access to these hospitals.
There are conflicting narratives regarding the nature of the victims. While the military and the Deputy Commissioner have asserted that the blast targeted a bus carrying school children, unverified reports circulating online claim that injured army personnel are being presented as schoolchildren to downplay military casualties. These claims, however, remain unconfirmed by independent sources.
So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The resource-rich Balochistan has long been a centre of political discontent and nationalist aspirations. Pro-independence armed groups, also known as Baloch nationalist fighters, have been demanding independence from the Pakistani state. These groups claim that Balochistan’s natural wealth is being exploited without benefiting the local population, and they argue that the province has been systematically marginalised politically, economically, and culturally.
The Baloch nationalist struggle dates back to shortly after the region’s controversial accession to Pakistan in 1948, and has witnessed multiple waves of armed resistance. Over the past two decades, the movement has gained renewed momentum, particularly in reaction to state-led development projects such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which many Baloch nationalists believe are designed without local consent and have led to increased militarisation of the region.
Human rights organisations have frequently reported enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and heavy-handed crackdowns on dissent by the state forces in the region. The Pakistani government, for its part, labels many of these groups as terrorists and blames foreign powers, particularly India, for supporting unrest in Balochistan.
Despite numerous military operations, the conflict remains unresolved. The latest attack near Khuzdar serves as a stark reminder of the volatility in Balochistan and the enduring nature of the Baloch nationalist movement, which continues to seek recognition and justice in one of the most militarised and politically sensitive areas of South Asia.