Omotayo Adigun
A suicide bomber detonated explosives outside a stadium on Tuesday night, targeting supporters of the Balochistan National Party (BNP) as they left a rally in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province.
At least 13 people were killed and more than 30 others injured, according to police and hospital officials.
The blast took place near a graveyard close to the stadium’s exit point, where crowds had gathered after attending the rally held in honor of Sardar Ataullah Mengal, a veteran nationalist leader and former chief minister of Balochistan. Police chief Majeed Qaisrani confirmed that body parts of the suspected attacker were recovered from the scene.
BNP leader Akhtar Mengal, who addressed the rally, was not harmed in the explosion, but several of his supporters were among the casualties. Mengal has been an outspoken critic of the federal government and frequently calls for the release of missing Baloch nationalists.
Dr. Waseem Baig, a spokesman for Quetta’s main government hospital, said the facility had received 13 bodies and dozens of wounded patients, some of whom remain in critical condition.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti condemned the bombing, describing it as a “cowardly act by the enemies of humanity.” He ordered urgent medical care for the victims and launched a high-level investigation to track down those responsible.
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In Islamabad, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also denounced the attack, accusing “India-backed terrorists and their facilitators” of attempting to destabilize Pakistan by targeting civilians. While offering no evidence to substantiate the claim, Naqvi reiterated the government’s stance that India supports militant groups, including the Pakistani Taliban and Baloch separatists. India has consistently denied the allegations.
Balochistan has long faced insurgency from separatist groups such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which demand independence from Pakistan. While authorities insist the insurgency has weakened, attacks continue, often aimed at security forces and non-Baloch workers. In July, militants abducted and killed nine passengers traveling by bus from Quetta to Punjab province, an incident claimed by the BLA.
Pakistan has also seen a spike in militant activity in the northwest. On Wednesday, gunmen opened fire on a vehicle in Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing five Sunni Muslims before fleeing into nearby mountains. A day earlier, militants attempted to storm a paramilitary base in Bannu, sparking a fierce gunbattle that left six soldiers and five assailants dead.
The latest violence underscores Pakistan’s struggle to contain militancy, with both nationalist and religiously motivated groups carrying out deadly attacks across the country.