A deadly explosion ripped through a military convoy in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province on Sunday, killing five people, including three Frontier Corps (FC) soldiers, and injuring at least 30 others. The attack took place near Noshki, a volatile region that has seen an uptick in insurgent activity in recent months.
The convoy, consisting of seven buses, was traveling toward Taftan on the Iranian border when a car packed with explosives rammed into one of the vehicles. “At Noshki, a car laden with explosives hit one of the buses,” said police official Mohammed Zafar. He confirmed that five people were killed and 35 were wounded in the blast.
The attack is the latest in a string of violent incidents that have rocked Pakistan’s western regions, where separatist groups and militant factions continue to target security forces. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist group fighting for the independence of Balochistan, later claimed responsibility for the attack, boasting that its fighters had killed 90 Pakistani soldiers.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populated province, has long been a battleground for insurgent groups seeking greater autonomy. The region has witnessed repeated attacks on security forces, infrastructure, and government installations. The latest assault underscores the growing capabilities of insurgent groups in mounting coordinated, high-casualty attacks.
In an email to the EurAsian Times, the BLA provided details of the attack, claiming responsibility through its elite unit, the Majeed Brigade. According to the militant group, one of its operatives carried out a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) attack near Rakhshan Mill on the RCD Highway in Noshki, destroying one of the buses in the convoy.
“Immediately after the attack, the Fateh Squad of the BLA advanced and completely surrounded another bus, systematically eliminating all military personnel on board, bringing the total number of enemy casualties to 90,” the statement read.
While independent verification of the casualty numbers is difficult, Pakistani authorities have so far confirmed five deaths. The government and military have yet to release an official statement addressing the BLA’s claims.
The Noshki attack comes just days after another major security breach—the hijacking of the Jaffar Express by BLA insurgents. The train, carrying nearly 440 passengers, was derailed with explosives near Sibi city, about 160 km from Quetta, on March 12.
What followed was a tense two-day standoff between the insurgents and Pakistani security forces. According to Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, 18 off-duty military and paramilitary FC personnel, three railway staff, and five passengers were killed in the initial attack. In the subsequent battle, five additional FC personnel lost their lives before the situation was brought under control.
The train hijacking was one of the most audacious attacks by the BLA in recent history. Pakistani authorities called it a “direct challenge to state sovereignty”, vowing to eliminate the insurgent threat in Balochistan.
The rising wave of insurgent violence is not limited to Balochistan. The neighbouring province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has also seen a surge in militant attacks, particularly those carried out by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
On Saturday evening, three security personnel were killed in an attack in KP, further highlighting the deteriorating security situation in the region. The province, which borders Afghanistan, has experienced an increase in attacks since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in August 2021.
The TTP, an offshoot of the Afghan Taliban, has intensified its campaign against Pakistani security forces, frequently targeting police stations, army outposts, and government facilities. The resurgence of militant activity has led to fears that Pakistan is facing a multi-front insurgency, with various groups coordinating their attacks to destabilize the country.
According to an AFP tally, approximately 130 people have been killed in militant violence since January 1, 2024—the majority of them security personnel. The actual death toll is likely higher, given the difficulty in obtaining accurate figures from conflict zones.
Pakistan’s security crisis is not occurring in isolation. The growing instability in Balochistan and KP has raised concerns in Iran, Afghanistan, and China, all of whom have strategic interests in the region.
China, in particular, has a vested interest in maintaining stability in Balochistan, home to the Gwadar Port, a key component of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Baloch insurgents have long opposed Chinese investments, seeing them as an extension of Pakistani control over their region. Chinese nationals and CPEC projects have frequently been targeted in past attacks.
Pakistan’s worsening security situation also has implications for its relations with Iran and Afghanistan. The Pakistani military has accused Afghanistan of harboring TTP fighters, while Islamabad and Tehran have had tense exchanges over cross-border militant activity. In January, Pakistan launched airstrikes inside Iran, targeting Baloch separatist hideouts, in response to attacks inside Pakistan. The tit-for-tat escalation led to fears of a broader regional conflict before diplomatic efforts de-escalated tensions.
In the wake of the latest attacks, Pakistan’s military and intelligence agencies are under intense pressure to neutralize insurgent networks. However, counterterrorism operations in Balochistan and KP have historically struggled due to the challenging terrain, local support for insurgents, and external interference.
Authorities have already launched a search operation in Noshki to track down the perpetrators of Sunday’s convoy attack. Security has been tightened across Balochistan, with additional military deployments expected in key insurgency-hit areas.
Pakistan’s political instability further complicates its ability to respond to the growing security crisis. The country is grappling with economic turmoil, widespread protests, and political infighting, all of which distract from the counterterrorism fight.
Pakistan faces a grim reality—militants in both Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are becoming more emboldened, their attacks more sophisticated, and their ambitions more deadly. If left unchecked, the escalating violence could push the country into an era of prolonged insurgency, with severe consequences for national and regional stability.
