A wave of bomb blasts, armed attacks and road blockades across Balochistan on Saturday triggered a sweeping security lockdown, with authorities placing Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, on high alert and sealing major highways amid what officials described as a rapidly “deteriorating situation.”
At least five attacks reported in Quetta
Police said at least five explosions struck different parts of Quetta, targeting police, Eagle Squad personnel, Crime Branch officers and key infrastructure.
Sources said the first blast occurred at Allah Wala Chowk near Qambarani Road, where a motorcycle-mounted remote-controlled improvised explosive device detonated beside a police checkpoint. About ten police and Eagle Squad personnel were present at the time, they said.
A second explosion targeted Crime Branch officers moving towards the site of the initial blast. Officials confirmed both attacks but did not provide casualty figures.
Two more blasts later damaged a section of railway track near Munir Ahmad Road in Sariab. Security sources said a third device planted nearby was defused.
A fifth attack was reported in Kachhi Baig, where unidentified men hurled a grenade at a police patrol vehicle. Police said the vehicle was damaged but no casualties were reported.
Following the blasts, Pakistani armed forces sealed all entry and exit points into Quetta. The Quetta–Karachi national highway was also shut down, stranding dozens of passenger buses and private vehicles as Pakistani forces halted traffic and ordered travellers to wait until the route was cleared.
Officials said a Balochistan-wide high alert had been issued, however the government has not released a public statement.
Road blockades and clashes in multiple districts
In several other districts across Balochistan, armed groups set up roadblocks and carried out snap checks, with additional attacks continuing into Saturday evening.
In Kech district, an improvised explosive device (IED) hit a convoy of Pakistani forces in the Tejaban area of Hoshap, followed by an armed ambush. Local sources said two military vehicles were “completely destroyed” and several personnel were killed or injured. They added that armed fighters remained in control of parts of the area.
In Kech’s Mand, armed men reportedly “took control” of sections of Bullo and inspected vehicles on the main road. In Buleda’s Gilli area, a forces’ post came under sustained gunfire and explosions. However, casualties were not confirmed.
In Turbat’s Ginnah area, another checkpost was targeted, while armed men set up road checkpoints on Zubaida Jalal Road. Local sources said a communication tower equipped with surveillance cameras was destroyed in a blast.
In Gwadar district’s Jiwani, a Coast Guards camp came under attack, with reports of explosions and heavy gunfire.
In Panjgur, local sources said armed fighters established checkpoints along a section of the CPEC route in the Katagri area. Six men described as members of a “state-backed death squad” were reportedly detained and their weapons were seized.
A separate explosion was reported in Kharan district, but details remained limited.
Saturday’s incidents followed a series of attacks that began late Friday in Mastung, Kech and Gwadar districts.
In Mastung, two explosions were heard in the city’s congested Major Chowk area, followed by gunfire. Local sources said the residence of a Pakistan Army major was among the locations targeted.
In Kech district’s Gomaazi area, armed men attacked a Pakistani forces’ camp established inside a residential compound. Residents reported prolonged firing and multiple explosions during the assault.
In Gwadar’s Jiwani area, local sources said personnel of the Pakistan Army’s Military Intelligence and members of a pro-government armed group were targeted in an IED attack earlier in the day. They said Pakistani forces later cordoned off the site and retrieved the dead and injured personnel.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attacks, which mark one of the most extensive waves of coordinated attacks in recent weeks, stretching from Quetta to Gwadar and several other districts across Balochistan.