On April 15, 2025, Tuesday, a bus carrying around 40 police officers was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED) in Balochistan’s Mastung district, resulting in the deaths of three officers from the Balochistan Constabulary. The vehicle was on its return journey from Kalat when it was targeted, approximately 40 kilometers south of the provincial capital, Quetta. Raja Muhammad Akram, a local administration official, confirmed the blast and stated that the attack was part of a broader insurgency in the region.

Balochistan has been plagued by a separatist movement for decades, with militants frequently targeting state forces, foreign nationals, and non-locals in the mineral-rich southwestern province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran. The separatist groups, including the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), are pushing for independence from Pakistan, and while authorities claim to have weakened the insurgency, violence remains a persistent issue.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the Tuesday morning attack, but the BLA is known for carrying out similar deadly strikes against security forces in the region. This attack adds to the rising toll of casualties in the region, with over 200 people, mainly security personnel, killed in the ongoing conflict since the beginning of the year. The situation has worsened since the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, fueling a new wave of militancy.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the deadly attack and vowed to continue the government’s efforts in the fight against terrorism, emphasizing that the battle would not cease until terrorism is eradicated from the region. The attack underscores the volatile security situation in Balochistan and the ongoing challenges faced by the Pakistani government in controlling the insurgency. 

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Arab News.