Stories
BLA Hijacks Quetta-Karachi Highway, Raising Questions Over Pakistan Army's Writ
- •Heavily armed men, allegedly from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), have established blockades and unauthorized check posts on the strategic Quetta-Karachi National Highway in the Surab region.
- •The major national artery has been completely blocked for several hours, bringing long-distance traffic to a standstill.
- •Militants are reportedly roaming freely, halting commercial vehicles, stopping passenger buses, and forcibly inspecting identity cards of travelers.
- •The blatant breach of state authority highlights an escalating security crisis in Balochistan, with insurgents operating with apparent impunity.
- •Local security personnel and law enforcement agencies face severe scrutiny as the standoff disrupts movement and raises grave concerns over public safety.
Key Questions Answered
Heavily armed men, allegedly belonging to the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), established arbitrary blockades and unauthorised check posts in the Surab region. This blatant breach of state authority brought long-distance traffic to a standstill as militants roamed freely and inspected traveller identity cards.
A coordinated wave of attacks by the BLA resulted in multiple link bridges being destroyed or damaged by explosions in Mastung. These blasts, alongside armed clashes, forced the closure of the Quetta-Karachi highway, creating long queues of stranded vehicles and cutting off key local transit routes.
A football team traveling from Karachi to Quetta for the Chief Minister's Gold Cup tournament was robbed at gunpoint by a dozen armed insurgents between Mastung and Sariab. The attackers intercepted their bus, forced passengers to disembark, and snatched mobile phones, cash, and other valuables.
