Two officers of the Balochistan Constabulary, including an acting deputy superintendent of police (DSP), were martyred and two others injured on Friday when their convoy came under attack by unidentified gunmen in the volatile Mastung district of Balochistan. The incident occurred on the National Highway near the Choto area as the convoy traveled from Kalat to Quetta, according to provincial government spokesperson Shahid Rind.
The fallen officers were identified as Acting DSP Inspector Abdul Razzaq and Constable Raza Muhammad Jam. Constables Taj Muhammad and Khursheed Ahmed sustained injuries and were evacuated to Quetta for urgent medical care. Helicopter transport was used due to the critical nature of their injuries and the remote location of the attack.
Officials described the assault as a terrorist ambush, with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemning the incident in a strongly worded statement. He offered his condolences to the bereaved families and reiterated the government’s commitment to confronting what he termed “Fitna-Al-Hindustan”—a phrase used by Pakistani authorities to refer to foreign-backed insurgent groups operating in Balochistan.
Rind noted that the attack was a “manifestation of the despair of the enemies of peace” and emphasized that such violence would not shake the morale of Balochistan’s citizens or its security forces. He confirmed that a search operation was underway and that additional security personnel had been dispatched to the site to apprehend the assailants.
The attack highlights the persistent security challenges in Balochistan, a region long plagued by insurgent violence, sectarian strife, and militant activities. In recent months, there has been a marked uptick in attacks targeting law enforcement and military personnel, particularly in and around Mastung, Kalat, and other southern and central Balochistan districts.
Friday’s incident is the latest in a string of attacks:
- On July 16, a passenger bus was fired upon in Kalat, resulting in three civilian deaths and injuries to seven others.
- On July 9, unidentified individuals hurled a grenade at a police checkpoint at the Sibi-Harnai railway crossing. The device detonated, but no injuries were reported.
- Earlier this month, three officers were injured when their highway patrol vehicle came under fire in Nasirabad.
- On June 21, a deadly roadside bombing in the Mongochar area of Kalat claimed the lives of two Frontier Corps personnel and left four others wounded.
In April, Mastung was again the scene of tragedy when a blast targeted a Balochistan Constabulary vehicle on Dasht Road, resulting in the deaths of three policemen and injuries to at least 16 others.
The provincial and federal governments have pledged to step up counter-terrorism operations in response to the growing threat. Intelligence-led operations and military deployments are being intensified, especially along key transport corridors and known hotspots for militant activity.
As investigations into Friday’s ambush continue, authorities remain focused on identifying the perpetrators and dismantling the networks responsible. In the meantime, security analysts warn that without addressing underlying socio-political grievances and enhancing border security, Balochistan will continue to be vulnerable to both internal and cross-border militancy.
