A powerful bomb blast in Quetta killed a senior Pakistani Army officer on Saturday evening. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the deadly strike, as reported by The Balochistan Post.
The explosion happened near Quetta's busy Jinnah Road. A magnetic improvised explosive device (IED) was planted on a vehicle. Major Anwar Kakar, an officer from the Pakistan Army’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) cell in the 12 Corps, was in the vehicle. He died instantly in the blast.
Authorities reviewed CCTV footage after the explosion. The video showed two motorcyclists attaching the bomb to the vehicle just before it went off. So far, there are no reports of other casualties.
Major Anwar, a native of Pishin in Balochistan’s Pashtun-majority region, had served in the Pakistan Army for more than ten years. He had taken part in several counter-insurgency operations against Baloch separatist groups. In 2019, he was injured in the BLA’s major attack on the Pearl Continental Hotel in Gwadar, which lasted nearly 24 hours.
Late Saturday night, the Baloch Liberation Army issued a statement. It said that its Special Tactical Operations Squad (STOS) had carried out the mission. The BLA claimed that the attack was based on accurate intelligence gathered by its internal unit named "Zirab." The group promised to share more details soon.
This incident highlights the ongoing unrest in Balochistan. Baloch nationalist groups have waged an armed struggle against the Pakistani government for decades. They have repeatedly attacked security forces, demanding independence and control over local resources.
