On Friday, a security convoy in southern Pakistan was attacked, taking the lives of 14 servicemen. as the Balochistan fishing village of Pasni was attacked on the coastal highway.
Pakistani security convoy attack
This highway spans from the Iranian border to Karachi, a major city in Pakistan. The Balochistan province has been a hotspot for a long-running insurgency led by ethnic Baloch guerrillas. They have been fighting the government, alleging exploitation of the province's abundant gas and mineral resources.
Baloch people have been expressing dissatisfaction, as they feel they are not receiving their fair share of the province's profits. This has given rise to multiple separatist groups in the region.
Previously, a bomb blast targeted a police van, killing five civilians
Prior to the attack on the security convoy, a bomb blast occurred in northwestern Pakistan. The explosion targeted a police van in Dera Ismail Khan, a city located in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near the Afghan border.
Tragically, the blast resulted in the deaths of five civilians and left 21 others wounded. Dera Ismail Khan has witnessed an upsurge in militancy in recent months, making it a region of concern.
Balochistan's Ongoing Conflict
Balochistan has been at the center of a prolonged conflict, with ethnic Baloch guerrillas fighting the government over perceived exploitation of the province's valuable resources. The insurgency in the region has persisted for decades, and separatist groups have emerged as a response to the perceived economic injustices faced by the Baloch people.
The attack on the security convoy and the earlier bomb blast targeting a police van are grim reminders of the ongoing security challenges faced in different regions of Pakistan. Balochistan, in particular, has seen enduring conflict, which continues to pose a significant challenge for the government.
The loss of lives in these incidents underscores the need for continued efforts to address these security concerns and seek resolutions to the underlying issues driving the conflicts.
