The Balochistan Goods Truck Owners Association has announced the suspension of all mineral transportation from several key districts of Balochistan following a series of recent attacks on cargo vehicles.
The decision was made during an emergency meeting chaired by the association’s central president, Haji Noor Muhammad Shahwani. The meeting, attended by senior officials and a large number of transporters, expressed serious concern over the rising security threats to vehicles carrying minerals.
According to a statement issued by the association, the suspension will take effect from 5 July 2025 and will apply to mineral transport from Chaghi, Nushki, Muslim Bagh, Loralai, and surrounding areas.
“All terminal owners and transporters have been instructed to comply with the decision,” the association said. “Any violation will result in disciplinary action under the organization’s rules.”
The move comes amid a surge in attacks by Baloch “pro-independence” groups, who have claimed responsibility for targeting trucks involved in what they describe as “colonial plunder” and exploitative resource extraction projects, including Reko Diq and Saindak.
In the past week alone, nearly two dozen vehicles have reportedly been torched or destroyed in coordinated assaults across Nushki, Mastung, Dalbandin, and Kharan districts. According to the truckers’ association, tyres were punctured and trucks set ablaze at multiple locations.
Transporters say they have been left with no choice but to stop operations due to the escalating threats.
“The lives of our drivers and workers are at risk. We need protection, not promises,” the association said.
Armed Baloch groups have repeatedly warned transporters against aiding state-backed or foreign mining ventures.
“Drivers and owners involved in the transportation of Baloch national resources are urged to desist from this practice; otherwise, they will be held responsible for any loss of life or property,” the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) said in a recent statement issued after targeting cargo vehicles.