A series of gun and bomb attacks in Pakistan south western Balochistan province has killed 31 civilians and 17 security personnel says the region Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti. Security forces fighting back killed at least 145 attackers according to Bugti. The Balochistan Liberation Army or BLA had earlier claimed responsibility for the attacks and said dozens of soldiers were killed.
The violence marks one of the deadliest days in the poor province where Pakistan has been fighting an ethnic insurgency for many years Pakistan has accused India of supporting the BLA but Delhi has denied the claims repeatedly
The military said several attacks targeted civilians around Quetta the provincial capital and other parts of Balochistan. Grenade and gun attacks hit twelve cities and towns across the province. Police and paramilitary forces were attacked along with prisons and government buildings. Some important administrative buildings in Quetta and nearby roads were closed during the day. Mobile phone services were blocked and regional train services were stopped
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the military and said the government will continue the fight against terrorism until it is completely ended. The Balochistan Liberation Army accuses Pakistan federal government of taking the province’s rich mineral resources without helping the local people.
Local activists also blame Pakistani security forces for enforced disappearances which the government denies.
Balochistan makes up nearly forty four percent of Pakistan land. It shares a tense border with Iran and Afghanistan and has part of the Arabian Sea coastline. About five percent of Pakistan more than 240 million people live in the province.
The region is rich in natural resources including gas and minerals. It is named after the Baloch tribe the largest ethnic group in the area. Resistance against the Pakistani government began in 1948 after independence with some groups calling for an independent Baloch state.
