Terrorism hits BNP-M march but leaders survive blast

Balochistan facing political crises as well as terrorist activities

STATE OF THE NATION

March 29, 2025

IN a stark reflection of the mounting political turmoil and the escalating threat of terrorism in Balochistan, leaders and supporters of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) narrowly escaped a suicide attack while marching from Wadh to Quetta in protest against the government’s crackdown on peaceful demonstrators.

Sardar Akhtar Mengal, along with BNP-M workers, embarked on a march to Quetta on Friday morning in protest against the arrest of Dr Mahrang Baloch, the chief organiser of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), and several other leaders. The protest was also sparked by a heavy-handed response to a sit-in.

Marchers, alongside supporters from various political parties, left Mengal’s hometown of Wadh in Khuzdar district at approximately 9am to voice their grievances. According to BNP-M, more than 250 of its activists were detained as the protest march encountered police resistance near Mastung, reported the Dawn.com website.

Mastung’s Assistant Commissioner, Akram Harifal, said that Levies personnel at Luck Pass noticed a suspicious individual and attempted to stop him. The man fled, prompting a chase by the officers, culminating in the suicide bomber detonating himself. Fortunately, no one else was harmed, and the incident was contained.

Following the blast, which occurred around 1pm on Saturday, Mengal posted a message on X, assuring the public that he and his party workers were unharmed. In a subsequent statement, Balochistan government’s spokesperson, Shahid Rind, echoed the same, confirming that there had been no casualties. He also noted that Mengal and the BNP-M leadership were safe.

Rind added that the provincial government would soon release details from the inquiry into the incident. He reaffirmed that the government considered it a priority to safeguard the rally’s participants, including Mengal and his colleagues. Since the night of Friday, Rind reported, the government has been in constant communication with BNP-M leadership, and a meeting between the local administration and a BNP-M delegation had taken place. A further dialogue was also scheduled between the government and Mengal.

Meanwhile, the political unrest and terrorism that continue to plague Balochistan have led to heightened tensions, with authorities responding by cracking down on opposition figures, including the leaders of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee. Many analysts and commentators have decried these actions, calling for dialogue between the government and opposition. The authorities, however, maintain that some of these leaders, who are seen as challenging the state’s authority, are allegedly backed by foreign powers intent on destabilising Pakistan.