Tag: Balochistan

  • Seven Punjabi barbers killed in Gwadar

    Seven Punjabi barbers killed in Gwadar

    Seven people belonging to Punjab have been killed and one injured in an attack by unknown armed men in the Gwadar district of Balochistan.

    Police said that the unfortunate incident took place in the Sarbandar area of Gwadar. The dead and injured were barbers and belonged to Khanewal district of Punjab.

    The bodies have been sent for autopsy while the injured person has been shifted to Gwadar Hospital for medical assistance, the police told BBC.

    Sarbandar is a fishing village which is located approximately 25 kilometers east of Gwadar city towards Karachi. Gwadar district bordering Iran is a coastal district of Balochistan and since the deterioration of the situation in Balochistan, incidents of this kind of unrest have been happening in Gwadar as well.

    No one has yet accepted responsibility for this incident and SHO Mohsin Baloch informed BBC that an investigation is going on into various aspects of the incident.

    Earlier on April 13, 11 people, including nine people from Punjab, were killed and five were injured when Balochistan Liberation Army militants fired on a bus in the Nushki district of Balochistan.

    In the past, like other areas of Balochistan, Gwadar also witnessed attacks on workers and security forces and other incidents of unrest. In March this year, a major attack was carried out on the Gwadar Port Authority complex in Gwadar. The Majeed Brigade of the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack.

    Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti and Interior Minister Mir Ziaullah Longo have condemned the killings in Gwadar and said that the killing of innocent labourers in Gwadar is terrorism.

  • Absent teachers in Balochistan dismissed from jobs

    Absent teachers in Balochistan dismissed from jobs

    The Balochistan government has taken action against more than 2,400 absent teachers and employees in more than 8,500 schools in the province, dismissing 68 teachers while 98 have been suspended.

    Up to 33 employees were dismissed in Pishin, 13 in Quetta, six in Washik, five in Kachhi, four in Dera Bugti, reported Geo News.

    Director Monitoring and Evaluation Education has released a report stating that 8646 schools out of 15168 schools of the province were visited in the month of April, in which 2454 employees, including teachers, were found absent.

    That figure includes 238 employees from Quetta, 177 from Kohlu, 173 from Zhob, 164 from Pishin, 133 from Dera Bugti, 123 from Awaran, and 110 from Naseerabad were found to be absent.

    The report states that in April 2024, except for the dismissed and suspended teachers, 913 were issued show cause notices and 778 were asked to explain their absent.

  • 14 members of Balochistan cabinet takes oath today

    14 members of Balochistan cabinet takes oath today

    Fourteen members of the Balochistan cabinet took oath today in a ceremony held at the Governor’s House in Quetta.

    Those who took the oath include Sadiq Umrani, Ali Madad Jattak, Zahoor Buledi, Noor Muhammad Dumar, Sardar Faisal Jamali, Sarfraz Domki, Abdul Rehman Khetran, Saleem Khosa, Asim Kurd Gello, Bakht Kakar, Tariq Magsi, Shoaib Nosherwani, Raheel Durrani, and Zia Langau.

    On March 2, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Sardar Sarfraz Bugti took oath as the Chief Minister (CM) of Balochistan.

  • Is Saudi Arabia going to invest $1billion in Balochistan mines?

    Is Saudi Arabia going to invest $1billion in Balochistan mines?

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said on Tuesday that the current visit of Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to Islamabad will mark the beginning of a fresh era of strategic and commercial partnerships between the two long-standing allies.

    The Saudi foreign minister came to Islamabad for a two-day visit to boost economic cooperation between the two countries and advance investment deals that were agreed upon earlier.

    “The visit is the beginning of a new era of strategic and commercial partnership between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia,” Sharif was quoted as saying in a statement from his office after he met Prince Faisal. “Pakistan wants to further promote cooperation in the fields of trade and investment between the two countries.”

    The PM stated that Pakistan is actively promoting foreign investment and making partnerships mutually beneficial for allies. He added that Islamabad appreciates the Saudi leadership for increasing investment.

    In a statement shared with media on Monday, the Pakistan information ministry said the Saudi delegation would consult with Pakistani officials “on the next stages of investment and implementation issues.”

    The ministry announced that they would discuss Saudi Arabia’s planned investment in the Reko Diq gold and copper mining project during the visit. The development comes after the media reported that Saudi Arabia is likely to invest $1 billion in the mine project in Balochistan.
    The investment will reportedly focus on energy, IT, minerals, defence, and agriculture sectors.

  • BLA releases video of Noshki target killing, militants roamed around freely

    BLA releases video of Noshki target killing, militants roamed around freely

    In a video released by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) on April 15, terrorists can be seen roaming around with ease in the area and thoroughly checking the travellers in Quetta-Taftan Highway N-40, near Noshki.

    On April 13, nine people from Punjab and killed by the BLA militants after they stopped a bus and forced them off it.

    The gunmen checked the identity cards of passengers from the Taftan-bound bus and kidnapped them. They were subsequently shot dead.

    In the shocking footage, the militants easily moved on the road and kept inspecting all the vehicles and passengers.

    The footage was made from different angles. It also zoomed in and pointed to a Pakistan Military outpost and military camp nearby while the militants were conducting their operation.

    At the end of the video, the militants stopped two passenger buses and the in-video text showed “primary target” on a white bus. The other bus was let go and appallingly the video ended with the caption “ALL TARGETS NETRALISED”.

  • Weather alert: Rain spells entering Pakistan

    Weather alert: Rain spells entering Pakistan

    The meteorological department has predicted rains in various parts of the country, reports Geo.

    The weather became pleasant with thundershowers in many cities of Punjab including Rajanpur and Bhakkar.

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Parachinar city and adjacent areas received rain and snow on the mountains. In Quetta and its surrounding areas there were heavy spells of rains.

    Azad Jammu Kashmir’s Neelum valley also experienced overcast along with strong winds.

    The sand storm from the border desert of Afghanistan entered the Pakistani areas due to which trees were uprooted, mud walls and solar panels fell in many areas including Chaman, Qila Abdullah, Pashin, Gulistan, Jangal Pir Alizai, Saranan due to which high alert was issued.

    Gusty winds will continue intermittently in South Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir according to the Department of Meteorology. Heavy rain and hail may also occur at some places.

    Apart from this, the weather department has also that there is a possibility of rain in Karachi today and tomorrow (Saturday and Sunday). 

  • PTI to start protest movement from Balochistan, says Omar Ayub Khan

    PTI to start protest movement from Balochistan, says Omar Ayub Khan

    On Friday, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Omar Ayub Khan has announced that the former ruling party, along with a “grand opposition alliance,” would kick off a protest movement in Balochistan with the aim is to oppose alleged election rigging on February 8 and fight for the restoration of the constitution and democracy in the country.

    Earlier this month, PTI announced that it would start a nationwide movement against what they claim is rigging in general elections, starting from April 13. Asad Qaiser spoke to the media in Rawalpindi after meeting Imran Khan in Adiala jail, where he confirmed that the first rally of the protest movement would take place in Pishin district.

    The Khan-founded party believed that the incumbent rulers stole their mandate in the elections and the results were changed in Form 47s to benefit the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

    “Our mission is [upholding] the supremacy of the constitution and law,” Omar said.

    “We want the country to be strong.”

  • Nine labourers from Punjab shot dead in Balochistan’s Nushki area

    Nine labourers from Punjab shot dead in Balochistan’s Nushki area

    Unknown assailants gunned down at least 11 people in two separate terror incidents in the Nushki district of Balochistan, as reported by Geo News on Saturday.

    The militants stopped a bus on the National Highway from Quetta to Taftan and abducted nine people from Punjab who were travelling in it.

    The police launched a search operation for the abductees; however, their bodies were found under the bridge near a hill. All of them had been shot dead.

    Nushki Superintendent of Police (SP) Allah Bukhsh stated that the murdered men were from Punjab’s Mandi Bahauddin, Wazirabad, and Gujranwala areas and were labourers.

    Nushki Teaching Hospital MS Dr Zafar Mengal said the murdered men had been shot in various parts of their bodies.

  • PPP’s Ali Madad Jattak caught mistreating female professors on video

    PPP’s Ali Madad Jattak caught mistreating female professors on video

    A video of Ali Madad Jattak, a senior politician from Quetta affiliated with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has emerged online where he was seen talking to women protestors in a raised voice. The women were protesting against the government on the issue of delayed salaries.

    “That is why you can’t feel the pain,” the protesting professor sitting at the ground was seen saying as Ali related that his own mother and sister will never be sitting like this. As the woman argued, he says out loud, “Khabardar”. His assistant can also be seen admonishing the woman and asking her to behave herself.

    The incident happened during a protest demonstration organized by teachers and the staff of the university, who have been enduring a three-month delay in their salaries.

    The protesters, voicing their grievances outside the Balochistan Assembly on Monday, sought a resolution to the salary delays. The assembly speaker sent Ali Madad Jattak and other officials for negotiations. However, tensions erupted when Jattak reportedly adopted an aggressive attitude and resorted to using abusive language towards the protesting professor Tatara Achakzai.

    The distressing incident triggered outcry on social media platforms, prompting Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti to intervene. In an effort to redeem the situation, Bugti extended apologies on behalf of Jattak and sought forgiveness from the aggrieved female teachers, reported Quetta Voice.

  • Former caretaker PM Anwaarul Haq Kakar becomes senator again

    Former caretaker PM Anwaarul Haq Kakar becomes senator again

    Former caretaker prime minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar was elected a senator again on Thursday.

    According to the details, the unopposed election phase for seven senators from Balochistan has concluded. Following this, the returning officer has issued notifications to the successful senators who won without any opposition.

    Ahmad Khan Ghilzai (JUI-F), Aimal Wali Khan (ANP) were also elected as senators.