By אלעד גוטמן / IDF Spokesperson's Unit
At least 15 people lost their lives and more than 30 others sustained injuries in a suicide bombing close to a political rally in Pakistan, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
The attack took place late Tuesday night when hundreds of supporters of the Balochistan National Party (BNP) had gathered at a stadium in Quetta, the provincial capital of restive Balochistan. The explosion ripped through the parking lot near the venue as people assembled for the rally.
Authorities said the death toll had climbed to 15 by the following morning. The Islamic State (IS) militant group later claimed responsibility for the bombing.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest yet poorest province, shares borders with both Afghanistan and Iran and has long been a flashpoint for militant activity. Residents regularly endure violent assaults from both Islamic State and separatist factions.
According to Balochistan’s health minister, Bakht Muhammad Kakar, the suicide attacker was unable to breach the heavy security cordon and reach the rally venue itself. “Had the blast occurred inside, the destruction would have been far more catastrophic,” he told Geo News.
Government official Hamza Shafqaat explained that 120 police officers had been deployed for the event’s security, crediting their presence with preventing a greater loss of life.
The BNP had organized the gathering to honor Ataullah Mengal, the former chief minister of Balochistan who passed away in 2021.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack, calling it “damning evidence of a terrorist plot to destabilize Balochistan.” Local media reported that he vowed to continue efforts to curb militancy in the province.
Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes. Survivor Zaman Baloch said he was standing some distance away from the stadium when the explosion went off. “I felt a sharp pain and realized shrapnel had hit my leg. People were screaming, and bodies were scattered on the ground,” he recalled. Another witness, Noor Ahmad, said the loud blast shook the area, leaving panic and chaos in its wake.
BNP leader Ahmed Nawaz, who was among those injured, told BBC Urdu that the explosion occurred nearly 200 feet from the rally site.
Militant activity in Balochistan has been relentless in recent years. In February 2024, Islamic State claimed responsibility for a deadly bombing targeting election offices in the province, killing more than 20 people just a day before parliamentary polls.
Last November, a suicide bombing at Quetta’s railway station left over 20 dead and dozens wounded, with the separatist Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) taking credit for that attack.
More recently, in March, armed fighters from the BLA hijacked a passenger train carrying over 400 people, threatening to execute hostages unless authorities released Baloch political prisoners. The series of violent incidents underscores the ongoing threat facing the troubled province.
