QUETTA, Pakistan: The India-backed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a terrorist group also called “Fitna al-Hindustan” on Thursday abducted 10 Pakistani citizens in Balochistan’s Loralai district, officials said, calling the attack targeted and ethnically motivated.
According to security sources, the India-backed terrorists set up a roadblock between Loralai and Musakhel and forcibly took passengers belonging to the province of Punjab.
Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind said that security forces have launched a search operation in the area to ensure the safe recovery of the abducted individuals.
“This is the worst form of ethnically motivated abduction. Such racial kidnappings are brutal hate crimes and meet every definition of ethnic persecution. BLA’s actions meet every definition of ethnic persecution,” the spokesperson said, while confirming the incident.
The Balochistan government spokesperson said that this was not the first time BLA terrorists—backed by India’s intelligence agency RAW—have targeted innocent civilians in the province.
“The Indian-sponsored BLA has launched multiple attacks in Quetta, Kalat, Mastung, and Loralai,” Rind said. “Security forces responded immediately and forcefully at all locations.”
The spokesperson assured the public that security personnel remain vigilant across the province and are committed to protecting the lives and property of all citizens.
Indian-backed terrorist groups have been active in Balochistan, especially after the clear defeat in the recent four-day war against Pakistan.
Earlier, Pakistan Army’s top leadership also vowed to take decisive and holistic actions at all levels against the Indian backed and sponsored proxies.
In May, Pakistan saw a slight uptick in terrorist attacks even as heightened military tensions with neighbouring India failed to trigger a significant escalation in violence from extremist groups.
Data released by the Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) indicates a 5 percent increase in attacks compared to April, though the overall picture suggests militant groups largely remained contained despite the regional geopolitical climate.
According to the PICSS monthly security assessment, the month of May recorded 85 militant attacks, a marginal rise from 81 in April.
These incidents resulted in 113 fatalities, including 52 security forces personnel, 46 civilians, 11 militants, and four members of peace committees.
The month also saw 182 individuals injured, comprising 130 civilians, 47 security personnel, four militants, and one peace committee member.
While the overall number of attacks saw only a modest increase, a deeper dive into the figures reveals some concerning trends.
Balochistan and KP remained the most affected provinces, where India-backed proxies are active, accounting for 82 of the 85 attacks nationwide.
Balochistan experienced the highest level of violence, with 35 militant attacks that left 51 people dead, including 30 civilians, 18 security personnel, and three militants, and 100 injured (94 civilians, five security personnel, one militant).
