At least 74 people were killed in a series of coordinated terror attacks across Balochistan province in southwestern Pakistan, according to military and police sources.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist group, claimed responsibility for the attacks, which targeted civilians, law enforcement, and critical infrastructure such as highways and railways.
One of the deadliest incidents took place in Musakhel district, near the Punjab border, where militants ambushed vehicles on a major highway. After identifying the passengers, they executed at least 23 Punjabi migrant workers, according to local officials.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti confirmed in a televised press conference that vehicles were torched, and those killed were shot in front of their families.
In the Kalat district, gunmen attacked law enforcement personnel, killing at least 10 people, including five police officers.
Another six people were killed in the Bolan district, following explosions on a railway bridge that connects the provincial capital to the rest of Pakistan.
The Pakistani military reported that a total of 14 security personnel were killed in fighting after the largest of the attacks, and they responded by killing 21 militants.
The violence disrupted major transportation routes, with armed fighters blocking highways and damaging rail infrastructure.
Rail traffic between Quetta and other parts of Pakistan was suspended following explosions on rail bridges, including one that links Quetta to neighboring Iran, Al Jazeera reported.
The attacks coincided with the 18th death anniversary of Nawab Akbar Bugti, a former Baloch nationalist leader who was killed in a military operation in 2006.
Bugti's death is a rallying point for separatist sentiments in the region, and his anniversary is often marked by violence. The BLA's actions appear to be a challenge to the Pakistani government's control over the province.
In a statement to journalists, they claimed additional attacks had occurred over the past day, though these have not yet been confirmed by authorities. The group stated that four suicide bombers, including a woman from the southern port district of Gwadar, participated in an attack on the Bela paramilitary base.
‘Aimed at halting Pakistan’s progress’
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pledged that security forces would retaliate to bring those responsible to justice.
"In Balochistan, the doors for negotiation are always open to those who believe in Pakistan and accept its constitution and flag," he said on Tuesday as he addressed a cabinet meeting.
Sharif said their "sole aim is to halt Pakistan's progress, sabotage the development projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and create divisions between Pakistan and China."
Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, is Pakistan's poorest province, despite an abundance of untapped natural resources, and lags behind the rest of the country in education, employment and economic development.
The CPEC has seen tens of billions of dollars funnelled into massive transport, energy and infrastructure projects. But the safety of its citizens is becoming an increasing concern for Beijing.
Baloch separatists have intensified attacks on Pakistanis from neighbouring provinces working in the region in recent years, as well as foreign energy firms including deadly attacks on Chinese citizens.
On Tuesday, Pakistani forces hunted separatist militants who killed dozens when they pulled passengers off buses, blew up a bridge and stormed a hotel a day earlier.
Analysts warn that the government's heavy-handed approach, which includes military crackdowns and accusations of foreign interference, may backfire.
