At Least 10 Killed in Suicide Attack Outside Pakistan Paramilitary Headquarters

At least ten people have been killed in a suicide bombing outside the headquarters of Pakistan’s paramilitary forces in Quetta, the capital of the southwestern province of Balochistan, officials said on Tuesday.

The attackers reportedly entered the paramilitary compound and opened fire before detonating explosives, according to government sources.

Incident Details

• Location: Quetta, Balochistan, near the Afghan and Iranian borders
• Target: Paramilitary headquarters
• Method: Armed assault followed by a suicide explosion
• Casualties: At least 10 dead; over 33 injured
• Attackers Killed: Four during the gunfight with security forces

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti told television reporters that the assailants drove a pickup van into the paramilitary headquarters and began firing. Security personnel returned fire, after which the attackers detonated themselves.

Provincial Health Minister Bakht Kakar confirmed to Reuters that the fatalities included both civilians and paramilitary personnel. The exact number of military deaths is yet to be verified.

Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province by area but the least populated, with just over 15 million residents in 347,190 square kilometres. The province is mineral-rich and home to the Gwadar port, part of the $65 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) under China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

The region has seen a rise in militant and separatist attacks, though no group has claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s bombing.

Since Pakistan’s independence from British colonial rule in 1947, Baloch separatists have been engaged in a struggle for autonomy. The Pakistani government and military classify these movements as separatist insurgencies. Regular clashes occur between security forces and separatists.

Baloch nationalists allege that Islamabad and Beijing exploit the province’s resources without benefiting local communities. Separately, Islamist militants seek to overthrow the government and establish strict Islamic rule.

Pakistan has also accused regional rival India of supporting armed groups in Balochistan, although New Delhi has denied these claims.

Source: Reuters