On Tuesday, July 1, a deadly assault on government buildings in Mastung, Pakistan’s Balochistan province, left a 16-year-old boy dead and seven others injured. The attack, which targeted the local tehsil office, other administrative facilities, and a bank, was carried out by militants described by officials as ‘India-backed’ terrorists. According to the provincial government spokesperson, Shahid Rind, security forces responded immediately, killing two of the attackers and injuring three others. The area was swiftly cordoned off by the Frontier Constabulary, the Counter-Terrorism Department, and the Levies, who launched a clearance operation and are now searching for the attackers’ facilitators.
The group behind the assault is referred to as Fitna al Hindustan by Pakistani authorities and is linked to the broader insurgency led by the banned militant organisation, the Balochistan Liberation Army. Balochistan remains one of the regions most affected by violence amid a significant surge in terrorism across Pakistan, which recorded over 1,000 terror-related deaths in 2024 alone.
Massimo Serresi
