Scores killed as coordinated militant attacks shake Pakistan

A surge of violence across Pakistan has left scores dead after coordinated attacks triggered hours of fierce fighting between militants and security forces.

Pakistan’s military said at least 92 militants were killed in operations launched in response to assaults in several cities and towns on Saturday. The clashes also claimed the lives of 15 security personnel, while at least 18 civilians, including women and children, were killed in separate incidents linked to the attacks.

The banned Baloch Liberation Army, or BLA, said it carried out the coordinated strikes, describing them as a province wide operation. The group claimed its fighters had inflicted heavy losses on security forces, though its account of casualties differed sharply from the military’s version. Independent verification of the toll has not been possible.

Fighting was reported in Quetta, the provincial capital, as well as in Gwadar and Mastung. Security officials said armed men targeted state installations and set up roadblocks in some areas, prompting a rapid deployment of army units, police and counterterrorism teams.

One of the deadliest incidents occurred in the coastal city of Gwadar, where militants attacked a residential compound housing migrant workers. Police said 11 people were killed, among them five men, three women and three children. Six suspected attackers were shot dead by security forces during the response.

In Noshki district, the senior civil administrator was reportedly abducted. A video circulating online showed a man identifying himself as the official and saying he was being held captive. Authorities have not confirmed the authenticity of the footage.

Hospitals in affected districts were placed on high alert as casualties were transported for treatment. Residents in parts of Quetta reported hearing explosions and gunfire near sensitive areas, though officials later said the situation had been stabilised.

The military accused hostile elements operating from outside Pakistan of directing the attacks, alleging that handlers abroad remained in contact with fighters during the violence. India, which has previously been accused by Islamabad of backing separatist militants in Balochistan, has consistently rejected such claims.

The unrest followed an announcement a day earlier by the military that dozens of militants had been killed in separate raids in the province. The back to back operations suggest a sharp escalation in tensions in a region that has long been marked by sporadic insurgent violence.

Balochistan is strategically significant, sharing borders with Iran and Afghanistan and hosting key infrastructure projects, including the deep sea port of Gwadar. Yet it remains the country’s least developed province. Armed groups drawn from sections of the ethnic Baloch population have waged an intermittent insurgency for decades, demanding greater autonomy and a larger share of local resources.

Militant organisations such as the BLA have previously targeted security forces, energy infrastructure and transport links, as well as civilians they accuse of supporting the state. The government maintains that security operations are necessary to restore stability and protect development projects.