Balochistan is facing fresh security concerns after a major gas pipeline explosion disrupted supplies across several areas, while seven miners were reportedly abducted in a separate incident.

The explosion damaged an 18-inch gas transmission pipeline near Gorkat in the Bolan district, disrupting gas supplies to several areas and causing low pressure in parts of Quetta and surrounding regions. Repair work is reportedly awaiting security clearance.

No group has claimed responsibility for the blast, which comes amid a long-running separatist insurgency in Balochistan that has previously targeted energy and infrastructure projects.

Meanwhile, seven miners working for a private copper mining company were reportedly abducted by armed men in the Shagai district. The incident has raised fresh concerns about the safety of workers and mining operations as Pakistan seeks to expand investment in its mineral-rich province.

Balochistan Security Crisis Deepens: Gas Pipeline Blast Disrupts Supplies, Seven Miners Abducted

Pakistan witnessed its deadliest month of 2026 as militant attacks, bombings, and counterterrorism operations intensified across the country.

According to a report by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), 606 people were killed and 232 injured during terror attacks and security operations in July 2026. The report highlights a sharp escalation in violence across Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where militants reportedly used IEDs and quadcopter attacks to target infrastructure.

Pakistan's Deadliest Month of 2026 | Terror Attacks Surge Across Balochistan & Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

At least 34 workers died after a methane gas explosion struck a coal mine in southern Pakistan, the provincial disaster management authority said on Friday. Rescue teams continued efforts to locate other miners who may remain trapped underground.&nbsp;The blast occurred on Thursday near the capital of Balochistan, a resource-rich province. The explosion sparked an overnight rescue operation as teams worked to reach those affected.&nbsp;"According to information received from the deployed teams, 34 dead bodies have been recovered," southern Balochistan's provincial disaster management authority said in a statement in the early hours of Friday.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">🚨 NEW VIDEO: Locals and rescue workers carry the bodies of miners recovered from the collapsed coal mine in Pakistan&#39;s southwestern Balochistan province. The death toll has risen to 34 as rescue teams continue searching for any remaining trapped miners following the methane gas… <a href="https://t.co/hzZ2G3SNIs">pic.twitter.com/hzZ2G3SNIs</a>&mdash; Sajjad Tarakzai (@SajjadTarakzai) <a href="https://x.com/SajjadTarakzai/status/2083084137355936216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"The joint rescue operation is still underway to locate and recover the remaining trapped miners," it added. The authority did not reveal how many workers were inside when the incident occurred.The blast also caused severe damage to another mine close to the main site, where 12 workers were present at the time.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/60-000-migrants-flood-spain-s-ceuta-eu-calls-it-unacceptable-trump-warns-us-1785507085760">60,000 migrants from Morocco flood Spain's Ceuta, EU calls influx unacceptable, Trump warns US</a>&nbsp;Mining engineers and workers opened alternative routes to reach the affected areas. However, high levels of methane gas and flames created serious obstacles, making it difficult to access the bodies and workers trapped deep below the surface.&nbsp;Mining accidents frequently occur in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan. The country's poorest province and largest by land area lags behind other regions in several areas, including education, employment and economic development.&nbsp;The latest tragedy follows other mining-related accidents in the province. In June, three people suffered injuries when explosive material used for mining accidentally detonated in the Khanuzai area of Quetta division.&nbsp;Three coal miners also died in a separate accident in Bolan in April.

A deadly coal mine explosion in Balochistan claimed 34 lives and left rescue workers searching for other miners feared trapped deep underground.

At least 34 workers died after a methane gas explosion struck a coal mine in southern Pakistan, the provincial disaster management authority said on Friday. Rescue teams continued efforts to locate other miners who may remain trapped underground. The blast occurred on Thursday near the capital of Balochistan, a resource-rich province. The explosion sparked an overnight rescue operation as teams worked to reach those affected. "According to information received from the deployed teams, 34 dead bodies have been recovered," southern Balochistan's provincial disaster management authority said in a statement in the early hours of Friday.

A deadly coal mine explosion in Balochistan claimed 34 lives and left rescue workers searching for other miners feared trapped deep underground.

34 workers killed in methane blast at coal mine in Pakistan's Balochistan | Video

A deadly coal mine explosion in Pakistan's Balochistan province has claimed at least 34 lives, with rescue teams continuing efforts to locate workers who remain trapped beneath the debris. Authorities believe a methane gas explosion triggered the collapse at the mine near the provincial capital, leading to one of the deadliest mining disasters in the region in recent years. Rescue operations have continued through the night, while officials warn that the death toll could rise further.

Pakistan Coal Mine Explosion Kills 34 | Rescue Teams Race to Find Trapped Miners

Pakistan risks its valuable EU trade preferences unless it reverses a slide in human rights, a new European Commission report has warned. With textiles making up the vast majority of its EU exports, any suspension of preferences would hit Pakistan’s fragile economy hard.&nbsp; The country remains the largest beneficiary of the EU’s GSP+ scheme, which grants duty-free access to its exports in return for ratifying and implementing 27 international conventions on human rights, labour standards and environmental protection. In 2024 alone, Pakistan exported €7.5 billion worth of goods, mainly textiles and clothing, under the scheme, saving an estimated €732 million in tariffs. The Joint Staff Working Document, covering 2023-2025, paints a picture of limited progress overshadowed by serious setbacks. While welcoming new laws , including the creation of a National Commission for Minorities, a Domestic Violence Bill in Islamabad, and the first-ever conviction for marital rape, the EU highlights that “most progress is of a legislative and administrative nature and needs to be translated into real improvements on the ground.” Positive steps also include reducing the scope of the death penalty, maintaining a de facto moratorium on executions, ratifying an ILO protocol on forced labour, and launching provincial action plans against child labour. However, the report expresses grave concern over a deterioration in several areas. Enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings have increased, particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with almost no accountability. Freedom of expression has worsened due to amendments to cybercrime, anti-terrorism and blasphemy laws, which authorities have used against journalists, dissidents and minorities.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazil-vows-to-retaliate-against-unjustified-us-25-tariffs-on-exports-trump-tarrifs-brazil-trump-s-unilateral-tarrifs-1784213401808">Brazil vows to retaliate against 'unjustified' US 25% tariffs on exports</a>&nbsp;The document notes growing military influence, complaints about the 2024 election process, and constitutional changes criticised for undermining judicial independence. Blasphemy laws continue to be misused, with over 300 people still imprisoned following a major scam. Child labour rates are declining only slowly, and forced labour, especially debt bondage in brick kilns and agriculture, remains widespread, affecting an estimated three million people. Civil society space is shrinking, with restrictive rules on NGOs and foreign funding, while violence against women and girls, and obstacles to fair trials, persist. The EU stresses that Pakistan must deliver concrete results to maintain GSP+ eligibility under revised rules coming into force in 2027. Key priorities include tackling impunity, reforming blasphemy and cyber laws, strengthening labour inspections, and ensuring genuine protection for minorities and journalists. “Ensuring accountability for human rights violations” is described as essential to counter the prevailing sense of impunity. The report urges Pakistan to turn its new National Action Plan for Human Rights (2026-2029) into tangible change.&nbsp; &nbsp;

The European Commission has warned that Pakistan could lose its valuable EU trade preferences unless it addresses worsening human rights concerns, including enforced disappearances, restrictions on free speech and weak accountability.

Pakistan risks its valuable EU trade preferences unless it reverses a slide in human rights, a new European Commission report has warned. With textiles making up the vast majority of its EU exports, any suspension of preferences would hit Pakistan’s fragile economy hard. The country remains the largest beneficiary of the EU’s GSP+ scheme, which grants duty-free access to its exports in return for ratifying and implementing 27 international conventions on human rights, labour standards and environmental protection. In 2024 alone, Pakistan exported €7.5 billion worth of goods, mainly textiles and clothing, under the scheme, saving an estimated €732 million in tariffs. The Joint Staff Working Document, covering 2023-2025, paints a picture of limited progress overshadowed by serious setbacks. While welcoming new laws , including the creation of a National Commission for Minorities, a Domestic Violence Bill in Islamabad, and the first-ever conviction for marital rape, the EU highlights that “most progress is of a legislative and administrative nature and needs to be translated into real improvements on the ground.” Positive steps also include reducing the scope of the death penalty, maintaining a de facto moratorium on executions, ratifying an ILO protocol on forced labour, and launching provincial action plans against child labour. However, the report expresses grave concern over a deterioration in several areas. Enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings have increased, particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with almost no accountability. Freedom of expression has worsened due to amendments to cybercrime, anti-terrorism and blasphemy laws, which authorities have used against journalists, dissidents and minorities. Also Read: Brazil vows to retaliate against 'unjustified' US 25% tariffs on exports The document notes growing military influence, complaints about the 2024 election process, and constitutional changes criticised for undermining judicial independence. Blasphemy laws continue to be misused, with over 300 people still imprisoned following a major scam. Child labour rates are declining only slowly, and forced labour, especially debt bondage in brick kilns and agriculture, remains widespread, affecting an estimated three million people. Civil society space is shrinking, with restrictive rules on NGOs and foreign funding, while violence against women and girls, and obstacles to fair trials, persist. The EU stresses that Pakistan must deliver concrete results to maintain GSP+ eligibility under revised rules coming into force in 2027. Key priorities include tackling impunity, reforming blasphemy and cyber laws, strengthening labour inspections, and ensuring genuine protection for minorities and journalists. “Ensuring accountability for human rights violations” is described as essential to counter the prevailing sense of impunity. The report urges Pakistan to turn its new National Action Plan for Human Rights (2026-2029) into tangible change.

The European Commission has warned that Pakistan could lose its valuable EU trade preferences unless it addresses worsening human rights concerns, including enforced disappearances, restrictions on free speech and weak accountability.

EU concerned over disappearances in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; special trade benefits for Pakistan at risk

Prominent Baloch activist Mahrang Baloch and two of her associates were sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday by an anti terrorism court in Quetta.&nbsp;Mahrang Baloch, who leads the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), was convicted on charges of murder and terrorism along with fellow activists Sibghatullah and Balach Qadir. Prosecutors alleged that they incited a crowd that fatally attacked paramilitary soldier Shabbir Ahmed.&nbsp;A well-known human rights campaigner, Mahrang Baloch, has spent years raising concerns over enforced disappearances in Pakistan's Balochistan province. She has also been a vocal critic of the Pakistani government's biased policies towards the Baloch people.&nbsp;The verdict drew strong reactions from politicians and rights groups, many of whom criticised the court's decision.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/train-services-halted-across-germany-after-communication-system-failure-1782253198112">Train services halted across Germany after communication system failure</a>&nbsp;"Sentencing Dr Mahrang and Sughatullah to life imprisonment is an expression of hatred against the Baloch nation of Pakistan. This decision will mark the beginning of a historic phase of resistance and struggle," the BYC said in a statement on X.&nbsp;According to a report by Dawn, Mahrang Baloch, 33, was arrested on March 22 last year along with several members of her organisation. Authorities accused them of "attacking" the Quetta Civil Hospital and "inciting people to violence". The arrests came a day after activists staged a protest at Quetta University over alleged enforced disappearances, following which police launched a crackdown.&nbsp;The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan called for an immediate review of the ruling. It said the state had "continued its policy of treating fundamental rights advocacy in the same way it treats extremism, resulting in administrative and judicial decisions that are one-sided and biased."&nbsp;Swedish activist Greta Thunberg also condemned the proceedings. In a statement posted online, she described the trial as a "mockery of justice" conducted "in utter secrecy" and accused the Pakistani state of criminalising dissent.

Mahrang Baloch has long campaigned against enforced disappearances in Balochistan and criticised the Pakistani government's treatment of the Baloch people.

Prominent Baloch activist Mahrang Baloch and two of her associates were sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday by an anti terrorism court in Quetta. Mahrang Baloch, who leads the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), was convicted on charges of murder and terrorism along with fellow activists Sibghatullah and Balach Qadir. Prosecutors alleged that they incited a crowd that fatally attacked paramilitary soldier Shabbir Ahmed. A well-known human rights campaigner, Mahrang Baloch, has spent years raising concerns over enforced disappearances in Pakistan's Balochistan province. She has also been a vocal critic of the Pakistani government's biased policies towards the Baloch people. The verdict drew strong reactions from politicians and rights groups, many of whom criticised the court's decision. Also Read: Train services halted across Germany after communication system failure "Sentencing Dr Mahrang and Sughatullah to life imprisonment is an expression of hatred against the Baloch nation of Pakistan. This decision will mark the beginning of a historic phase of resistance and struggle," the BYC said in a statement on X. According to a report by Dawn, Mahrang Baloch, 33, was arrested on March 22 last year along with several members of her organisation. Authorities accused them of "attacking" the Quetta Civil Hospital and "inciting people to violence". The arrests came a day after activists staged a protest at Quetta University over alleged enforced disappearances, following which police launched a crackdown. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan called for an immediate review of the ruling. It said the state had "continued its policy of treating fundamental rights advocacy in the same way it treats extremism, resulting in administrative and judicial decisions that are one-sided and biased." Swedish activist Greta Thunberg also condemned the proceedings. In a statement posted online, she described the trial as a "mockery of justice" conducted "in utter secrecy" and accused the Pakistani state of criminalising dissent.

Mahrang Baloch has long campaigned against enforced disappearances in Balochistan and criticised the Pakistani government's treatment of the Baloch people.

Pakistan sentences prominent Baloch activist Mahrang Baloch to life imprisonment

The clashes between Pakistan army and Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) which has seen several casualties on both sides in the last one week has prompted Pakistan to think of deploying large numbers of troops in the region. Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday said that the province's vast geography, serious security situation and recent surge in attacks requires more force in the region.&nbsp;Asif remarks came amid security forces killing 177 militants after the BLA launched simultaneous attacks at 12 locations in the volatile province.&nbsp;"Balochistan constitutes over 40 per cent of Pakistan geographically...To control it is much more difficult than a populated city, and it needs deployment of massive forces. Our troops are deployed there and are in action against them (terrorists), but they are physically handicapped by guarding and patrolling such a big area," said Asif while addressing the National Assembly.&nbsp;ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-willing-to-be-flexible-could-shut-parts-of-nuclear-programme-to-ease-tension-with-us-report-1770092737217">Iran willing to be flexible, could shut parts of nuclear programme to ease tension with US: Report</a>&nbsp;He also pointed towards the nexus between criminals and terrorists, and said that criminal gangs were being backed by Baloch Liberation Army - banned in Pakistan - which harbours and protects smugglers.&nbsp;"In Balochistan, tribal elders, the bureaucracy and those running separatist movements have formed a nexus," he said.&nbsp;He further said that Pakistan was committed to eliminating terrorism and would not allow violence to "dress it up as a freedom movement".&nbsp;"When you try to rationalise violence or dress it up as a freedom movement, it is not acceptable because it is not true. This is a cover to legitimise criminal activities," said Asif.&nbsp;Pakistan has repeatedly accused India and Afghanistan of backing the assailants, alleging that senior BLA leaders were operating from Afghan territory. Both New Delhi and Kabul deny the claims.

Asif pointed towards the nexus between criminals and terrorists, and said that criminal gangs were being backed by Baloch Liberation Army - banned in Pakistan - which harbours and protects smugglers.

The clashes between Pakistan army and Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) which has seen several casualties on both sides in the last one week has prompted Pakistan to think of deploying large numbers of troops in the region. Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday said that the province's vast geography, serious security situation and recent surge in attacks requires more force in the region. Asif remarks came amid security forces killing 177 militants after the BLA launched simultaneous attacks at 12 locations in the volatile province. "Balochistan constitutes over 40 per cent of Pakistan geographically...To control it is much more difficult than a populated city, and it needs deployment of massive forces. Our troops are deployed there and are in action against them (terrorists), but they are physically handicapped by guarding and patrolling such a big area," said Asif while addressing the National Assembly. ALSO READ: Iran willing to be flexible, could shut parts of nuclear programme to ease tension with US: Report He also pointed towards the nexus between criminals and terrorists, and said that criminal gangs were being backed by Baloch Liberation Army - banned in Pakistan - which harbours and protects smugglers. "In Balochistan, tribal elders, the bureaucracy and those running separatist movements have formed a nexus," he said. He further said that Pakistan was committed to eliminating terrorism and would not allow violence to "dress it up as a freedom movement". "When you try to rationalise violence or dress it up as a freedom movement, it is not acceptable because it is not true. This is a cover to legitimise criminal activities," said Asif. Pakistan has repeatedly accused India and Afghanistan of backing the assailants, alleging that senior BLA leaders were operating from Afghan territory. Both New Delhi and Kabul deny the claims.

Asif pointed towards the nexus between criminals and terrorists, and said that criminal gangs were being backed by Baloch Liberation Army - banned in Pakistan - which harbours and protects smugglers.

'More troops needed in Balochistan amid serious security situation': Pakistan Defence Minister

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) said on Saturday (Jan 31) that it has launched coordinated attacks at 48 different locations across 14 cities in Pakistan's Balochistan province, including its provincial capital Quetta, under the second phase of Operation Herof. The group claimed that its fighters carried out strikes in Quetta, Noshki, Mastung, Dalbandin, Kalat, Kharan, Panjgur, Gwadar, Pasni, Turbat, Tump, Buleda, Manguchar, Lasbela, Kech, and Awaran, targeting Pakistan’s military and administrative structure while inflicting heavy losses and pushing the Army back in several locations.&nbsp;The BLA claimed it has killed 84 personnel from Pakistani security forces and captured 18 who are currently in its custody.&nbsp;&nbsp;"During this operation, a total of 84 occupying Pakistani army personnel, police, intelligence agencies, and CTD personnel were neutralised, dozens were wounded, and 18 personnel were captured alive and are currently in BLA custody," said Jeeyand Baloch, spokesperson for the BLA, in a statement.&nbsp;The separatist organisation also stated that it took control of and destroyed more than 30 government properties, such as banks, government offices, and prisons, and set 23 vehicles on fire, forcing Pakistan to adopt a defensive posture.&nbsp;"During the operation, more than 30 government properties were taken under control and destroyed, including banks, government offices and prisons. In addition, more than 23 enemy vehicles were set on fire. Due to direct pressure on administrative structures in multiple cities, the enemy’s routine operations and decision-making processes have been paralysed, while in urban areas, enemy army and police forces were forced to retreat," the statement added.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-nuclear-technology-cannot-be-eliminated-iran-warns-us-israel-against-attack-1769853760445">‘Nuclear technology cannot be eliminated’: Iran warns US, Israel against attack</a>Giving details on Operation Herof 2.0, the BLA said it deployed multiple units—including the Fateh Squad, the Majeed Brigade, the intelligence wing “ZIRAB,” and STOS—and revealed that seven of its personnel were killed during the action.“During these operations, seven BLA freedom fighters were martyred, including four Fidayeen of BLA’s elite unit Majeed Brigade after entering enemy camps and targeting enemy forces.”&nbsp;On the other hand, Pakistani authorities claimed they had killed 108 militants across Balochistan over the past 48 hours, including 47 on Saturday. Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi stated that 10 security officers were killed, while Shahid Rind, a spokesperson for the Balochistan government, said most of the attacks were foiled.

Pakistani authorities claimed they had killed 108 militants across Balochistan over the past 48 hours, including 47 on Saturday.

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) said on Saturday (Jan 31) that it has launched coordinated attacks at 48 different locations across 14 cities in Pakistan's Balochistan province, including its provincial capital Quetta, under the second phase of Operation Herof. The group claimed that its fighters carried out strikes in Quetta, Noshki, Mastung, Dalbandin, Kalat, Kharan, Panjgur, Gwadar, Pasni, Turbat, Tump, Buleda, Manguchar, Lasbela, Kech, and Awaran, targeting Pakistan’s military and administrative structure while inflicting heavy losses and pushing the Army back in several locations. The BLA claimed it has killed 84 personnel from Pakistani security forces and captured 18 who are currently in its custody. "During this operation, a total of 84 occupying Pakistani army personnel, police, intelligence agencies, and CTD personnel were neutralised, dozens were wounded, and 18 personnel were captured alive and are currently in BLA custody," said Jeeyand Baloch, spokesperson for the BLA, in a statement. The separatist organisation also stated that it took control of and destroyed more than 30 government properties, such as banks, government offices, and prisons, and set 23 vehicles on fire, forcing Pakistan to adopt a defensive posture. "During the operation, more than 30 government properties were taken under control and destroyed, including banks, government offices and prisons. In addition, more than 23 enemy vehicles were set on fire. Due to direct pressure on administrative structures in multiple cities, the enemy’s routine operations and decision-making processes have been paralysed, while in urban areas, enemy army and police forces were forced to retreat," the statement added. Also Read: ‘Nuclear technology cannot be eliminated’: Iran warns US, Israel against attack Giving details on Operation Herof 2.0, the BLA said it deployed multiple units—including the Fateh Squad, the Majeed Brigade, the intelligence wing “ZIRAB,” and STOS—and revealed that seven of its personnel were killed during the action. “During these operations, seven BLA freedom fighters were martyred, including four Fidayeen of BLA’s elite unit Majeed Brigade after entering enemy camps and targeting enemy forces.” On the other hand, Pakistani authorities claimed they had killed 108 militants across Balochistan over the past 48 hours, including 47 on Saturday. Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi stated that 10 security officers were killed, while Shahid Rind, a spokesperson for the Balochistan government, said most of the attacks were foiled.

Pakistani authorities claimed they had killed 108 militants across Balochistan over the past 48 hours, including 47 on Saturday.

84 Pakistani security personnel killed in Operation Herof 2.0, BLA claims

Baloch leader Mir Yar Baloch, in a letter to India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, has warned that China could deploy its military forces in Pakistan's Balochistan region within the next few months. He warned that the move would mark a dangerous escalation of the deepening China-Pakistan alliance.<h2>Baloch leader writes to Jaishankar</h2>In an open letter addressed to Jaishankar and posted on X on New Year's Day, Mir Yar Baloch said Baloch representatives view the deepening China-Pakistan alliance as a direct threat to the region and its people.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-proposes-stricter-drugs-rules-to-restrict-over-the-counter-sale-of-cough-syrups-1767259581543">India proposes Drugs Rules to restrict over the counter sale of cough syrups</a>He argued that Balochistan has endured decades of repression under Pakistani control, accusing the state of systematic violence and widespread human rights abuses. "The people of Balochistan have endured Pakistan's state occupation, state-sponsored terrorism, and egregious human rights atrocities for the past seventy-nine years," he wrote, adding that the moment had come to confront what he described as a long festering crisis. "The time has now arrived to eradicate this festering affliction at its roots, ensuring lasting peace and sovereignty for our nation".<h2>CPEC, Balochistan, and Bharat</h2>A central concern, Mir Yar Baloch raised in the letter, was the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, or CPEC, a flagship project under Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative that passes through Balochistan. Mir Yar Baloch claimed the project was moving rapidly towards its final stages and warned that it could soon bring Chinese troops onto Baloch soil."Should the capabilities of Balochistan's defense and freedom forces not be further bolstered, and if they continue to be overlooked as per longstanding patterns, it is conceivable that China could deploy its military forces in Balochistan within a few months," the letter stated. Any such move without the consent of the local population, Baloch warned, would have serious consequences not just for Balochistan but also for India, which he referred to as Bharat.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/donald-trump-ends-2025-with-hateful-late-night-truth-social-tirade-tells-rivals-to-rot-in-hell-in-ny26-1767235319298">Trump ends 2025 with hateful Truth Social tirade, tells rivals to 'rot in hell'</a>"The presence of Chinese boots on Balochistani soil without the will of the 60 million Baloch people would pose an unimaginable threat and challenge to the futures of both Bharat and Balochistan."China and Pakistan have consistently rejected claims that CPEC has any military dimension, maintaining that it is purely an economic project. India, however, has opposed CPEC from the start, arguing that it violates its sovereignty because it runs through Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.In his letter, Mir Yar Baloch also praised India’s Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. He described the strikes as a show of "exemplary courage and a steadfast commitment to regional security and justice".

Baloch leader Mir Yar Baloch has warned India that China could deploy troops in Pakistan’s Balochistan within months, citing CPEC’s final stages. In a letter to S Jaishankar, he called it a grave threat to Baloch people, and Bharat.

Baloch leader Mir Yar Baloch, in a letter to India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, has warned that China could deploy its military forces in Pakistan's Balochistan region within the next few months. He warned that the move would mark a dangerous escalation of the deepening China-Pakistan alliance. Baloch leader writes to Jaishankar In an open letter addressed to Jaishankar and posted on X on New Year's Day, Mir Yar Baloch said Baloch representatives view the deepening China-Pakistan alliance as a direct threat to the region and its people. Also read | India proposes Drugs Rules to restrict over the counter sale of cough syrups He argued that Balochistan has endured decades of repression under Pakistani control, accusing the state of systematic violence and widespread human rights abuses. "The people of Balochistan have endured Pakistan's state occupation, state-sponsored terrorism, and egregious human rights atrocities for the past seventy-nine years," he wrote, adding that the moment had come to confront what he described as a long festering crisis. "The time has now arrived to eradicate this festering affliction at its roots, ensuring lasting peace and sovereignty for our nation". CPEC, Balochistan, and Bharat A central concern, Mir Yar Baloch raised in the letter, was the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, or CPEC, a flagship project under Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative that passes through Balochistan. Mir Yar Baloch claimed the project was moving rapidly towards its final stages and warned that it could soon bring Chinese troops onto Baloch soil. "Should the capabilities of Balochistan's defense and freedom forces not be further bolstered, and if they continue to be overlooked as per longstanding patterns, it is conceivable that China could deploy its military forces in Balochistan within a few months," the letter stated. Any such move without the consent of the local population, Baloch warned, would have serious consequences not just for Balochistan but also for India, which he referred to as Bharat. Also read | Trump ends 2025 with hateful Truth Social tirade, tells rivals to 'rot in hell' "The presence of Chinese boots on Balochistani soil without the will of the 60 million Baloch people would pose an unimaginable threat and challenge to the futures of both Bharat and Balochistan." China and Pakistan have consistently rejected claims that CPEC has any military dimension, maintaining that it is purely an economic project. India, however, has opposed CPEC from the start, arguing that it violates its sovereignty because it runs through Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. In his letter, Mir Yar Baloch also praised India’s Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. He described the strikes as a show of "exemplary courage and a steadfast commitment to regional security and justice".

Baloch leader Mir Yar Baloch has warned India that China could deploy troops in Pakistan’s Balochistan within months, citing CPEC’s final stages. In a letter to S Jaishankar, he called it a grave threat to Baloch people, and Bharat.

'Bharat's future': Baloch leader warns India about 'unimaginable' Pakistan threat flags, China troops in Balochistan

Money from the drug trade does not stop at the beach. It needs to be cleaned and moved into the formal economy. In Balochistan, where the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Gwadar are billed as engines of growth, the same construction boom that attracts clean capital can also absorb dirty cash. International and Pakistani sources describe how drug proceeds move through hawala, shell firms and front people, then land in high-risk sectors such as real estate and construction. Weak ownership transparency and patchy enforcement increase that risk.&nbsp;UNODC and FATF have long warned that profits from Afghan heroin and, more recently, methamphetamine, are laundered both inside the region and abroad. Typical routes include money or value transfer services, cash smuggling and investments in legal businesses—especially property—because these absorb large sums with little scrutiny. In Pakistan and its neighbourhood, hawala remains a key channel. These are not abstract risks: they are the standard playbook for organised crime.&nbsp;Pakistan’s past assessments by FATF and the Asia/Pacific Group show why infrastructure and real estate deserve special attention. The 2019 mutual evaluation and subsequent follow-up reports flag structural weaknesses: limited transparency into who really owns companies, uneven supervision of “DNFBPs” (lawyers, accountants, real estate agents), and reliance on paper checks. While Pakistan has implemented reforms and left the FATF “grey list” in 2022, both the FATF/APG documents, as well as expert commentary, stress that real estate and construction remain high-risk channels for laundering.&nbsp;Policy also shapes incentives. Gwadar’s free zone profits enjoy long tax holidays and other exemptions intended to attract investors. These incentives are lawful, but they make the zone a magnet for fast-moving capital with fewer fiscal frictions—conditions that can attract both legitimate money and funds seeking a quick wash. Public investor guides spell out the depth of those exemptions, which, in some cases, run to 2039.&nbsp;The state’s own records show how front people and shell structures work on the ground. Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has used the Benami law since 2019 to target properties held through “name-lenders” and stand-ins. In 2020, FBR reported detecting hundreds of benami cases worth tens of billions of rupees; in 2025, it announced freshseizures where plots were held through a front person with forged credentials. Benami deals do not prove drug money, but they show how capital enters land and construction while hiding the real owner—exactly what a launderer needs.&nbsp;Auditors have also traced trade-based schemes that distort the books for Pakistan-linked firms, including contractors and importers. An Auditor-General report on customs found importers using shell companies in Dubai to under-invoice goods and move value off the books—classic techniques that can also hide criminal proceeds behind “normal” procurement. When construction materials are under-invoiced, projects gain unexplained price advantages, while illicit money slips through as supplier payments.&nbsp;In Balochistan, oversight gaps around big public works make those risks sharper. Transparency International Pakistan wrote in February 2025 to the Gwadar Port Authority about a tender it said breached procurement rules—one of several letters that month to federal and provincial bodies on weak compliance. Local media have also reported large accounting and contracting irregularities in Gwadar water and infrastructure projects reviewed by the provincial Public Accounts Committee. Such findings do not identify narcotics money, but they show a control environment where illicit capital could blend in.&nbsp;Financial regulators say they are tightening the net. The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan has pushed for beneficial-ownership disclosure since 2018 and, in April 2025, signalled plans for a central register of real owners to meet global standards. These steps matter: infrastructure contractors, sub-contractors and zone-registered companies should not be able to hide their ultimate controllers behind layers of nominees. But until such registers are live, verified and linked to public procurement, enforcement remains slow and reactive.&nbsp;What then ties narco-profits to cranes and concrete? First, the supply of illicit money is real and large. UNODC estimates show drug-related illicit financial flows on a scale comparable to formal exports in some markets; studies of Afghan opiate finance explain how proceeds cycle through hawala and into assets. When seizures surge on the nearby “southern route”, the pool of cash seeking a home expands.&nbsp;Second, the channels exist. Pakistan’s own Financial Monitoring Unit has documented cases where hawala networks supported smuggling and high-value imports. Benami seizures show how front people hold plots; audit findings show how shell firms and under-invoicing bleed value through trade. Each of these is a standard laundering step: placement through cash businesses and MVTS, layering through trade and shells, and integration through property and contracts.&nbsp;Third, the opportunity space around CPEC is wide. A 2021 analysis by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime warned that large transport corridors, including CPEC, can also serve organised crime by easing the movement of goods, people and finance unless governance keeps pace. Add generous tax breaks in Gwadar’s free zone and a procurement culture that watchdogs keep challenging, and you have a market where clean and dirty money can look the same on paper.&nbsp;None of these claims that any named CPEC firm is funded by drugs. It shows a system where the distance between narco-capital and infrastructure financing can be short. The remedy is not to halt projects, but to close the paths that dirty money takes. That means publishing the ultimate owners of every company that wins a public works contract in Balochistan. Requiring independent source-of-funds checks on major Gwadar free-zone investments; linking procurement and tax data to spot under-invoicing; and making benami orders and court outcomes searchable by project and district. It also means extending risk-based supervision to lawyers, accountants, and real estate agents who set up the shells and move the cash.

International and Pakistani sources describe how drug proceeds move through hawala, shell firms and front people, then land in high-risk sectors such as real estate and construction. Weak ownership transparency and patchy enforcement increase that risk.

Money from the drug trade does not stop at the beach. It needs to be cleaned and moved into the formal economy. In Balochistan, where the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Gwadar are billed as engines of growth, the same construction boom that attracts clean capital can also absorb dirty cash. International and Pakistani sources describe how drug proceeds move through hawala, shell firms and front people, then land in high-risk sectors such as real estate and construction. Weak ownership transparency and patchy enforcement increase that risk. UNODC and FATF have long warned that profits from Afghan heroin and, more recently, methamphetamine, are laundered both inside the region and abroad. Typical routes include money or value transfer services, cash smuggling and investments in legal businesses—especially property—because these absorb large sums with little scrutiny. In Pakistan and its neighbourhood, hawala remains a key channel. These are not abstract risks: they are the standard playbook for organised crime. Pakistan’s past assessments by FATF and the Asia/Pacific Group show why infrastructure and real estate deserve special attention. The 2019 mutual evaluation and subsequent follow-up reports flag structural weaknesses: limited transparency into who really owns companies, uneven supervision of “DNFBPs” (lawyers, accountants, real estate agents), and reliance on paper checks. While Pakistan has implemented reforms and left the FATF “grey list” in 2022, both the FATF/APG documents, as well as expert commentary, stress that real estate and construction remain high-risk channels for laundering. Policy also shapes incentives. Gwadar’s free zone profits enjoy long tax holidays and other exemptions intended to attract investors. These incentives are lawful, but they make the zone a magnet for fast-moving capital with fewer fiscal frictions—conditions that can attract both legitimate money and funds seeking a quick wash. Public investor guides spell out the depth of those exemptions, which, in some cases, run to 2039. The state’s own records show how front people and shell structures work on the ground. Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has used the Benami law since 2019 to target properties held through “name-lenders” and stand-ins. In 2020, FBR reported detecting hundreds of benami cases worth tens of billions of rupees; in 2025, it announced fresh seizures where plots were held through a front person with forged credentials. Benami deals do not prove drug money, but they show how capital enters land and construction while hiding the real owner—exactly what a launderer needs. Auditors have also traced trade-based schemes that distort the books for Pakistan-linked firms, including contractors and importers. An Auditor-General report on customs found importers using shell companies in Dubai to under-invoice goods and move value off the books—classic techniques that can also hide criminal proceeds behind “normal” procurement. When construction materials are under-invoiced, projects gain unexplained price advantages, while illicit money slips through as supplier payments. In Balochistan, oversight gaps around big public works make those risks sharper. Transparency International Pakistan wrote in February 2025 to the Gwadar Port Authority about a tender it said breached procurement rules—one of several letters that month to federal and provincial bodies on weak compliance. Local media have also reported large accounting and contracting irregularities in Gwadar water and infrastructure projects reviewed by the provincial Public Accounts Committee. Such findings do not identify narcotics money, but they show a control environment where illicit capital could blend in. Financial regulators say they are tightening the net. The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan has pushed for beneficial-ownership disclosure since 2018 and, in April 2025, signalled plans for a central register of real owners to meet global standards. These steps matter: infrastructure contractors, sub-contractors and zone-registered companies should not be able to hide their ultimate controllers behind layers of nominees. But until such registers are live, verified and linked to public procurement, enforcement remains slow and reactive. What then ties narco-profits to cranes and concrete? First, the supply of illicit money is real and large. UNODC estimates show drug-related illicit financial flows on a scale comparable to formal exports in some markets; studies of Afghan opiate finance explain how proceeds cycle through hawala and into assets. When seizures surge on the nearby “southern route”, the pool of cash seeking a home expands. Second, the channels exist. Pakistan’s own Financial Monitoring Unit has documented cases where hawala networks supported smuggling and high-value imports. Benami seizures show how front people hold plots; audit findings show how shell firms and under-invoicing bleed value through trade. Each of these is a standard laundering step: placement through cash businesses and MVTS, layering through trade and shells, and integration through property and contracts. Third, the opportunity space around CPEC is wide. A 2021 analysis by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime warned that large transport corridors, including CPEC, can also serve organised crime by easing the movement of goods, people and finance unless governance keeps pace. Add generous tax breaks in Gwadar’s free zone and a procurement culture that watchdogs keep challenging, and you have a market where clean and dirty money can look the same on paper. None of these claims that any named CPEC firm is funded by drugs. It shows a system where the distance between narco-capital and infrastructure financing can be short. The remedy is not to halt projects, but to close the paths that dirty money takes. That means publishing the ultimate owners of every company that wins a public works contract in Balochistan. Requiring independent source-of-funds checks on major Gwadar free-zone investments; linking procurement and tax data to spot under-invoicing; and making benami orders and court outcomes searchable by project and district. It also means extending risk-based supervision to lawyers, accountants, and real estate agents who set up the shells and move the cash.

International and Pakistani sources describe how drug proceeds move through hawala, shell firms and front people, then land in high-risk sectors such as real estate and construction. Weak ownership transparency and patchy enforcement increase that risk.

Tracking the financial trail: Narco-profits and infrastructure projects in Balochistanac

At least 11 people were killed in two separate bomb blasts in the Balochistan province of Pakistan on Friday (September 19), AFP reported, citing officials. The first incident took place on September 18 when an explosion-laden car drove into a convoy of paramilitary soldiers in the province’s Dasht town near the border with Iran.&nbsp;&nbsp;Five people were killed in that blast, three of them were soldiers. This particular attack was claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), the leading Baloch group waging the armed movement against the Pakistani rule over Balochistan.&nbsp;Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-asim-munir-trying-to-make-us-break-down-imran-khan-alleges-mental-torture-on-self-wife-by-pak-army-chief-1758297971366"> ‘Asim Munir trying to make us break down’: Imran Khan alleges ‘mental torture’ on self, wife by Pak army chief</a>&nbsp;The second blast occurred on the same day but near the border with Afghanistan.&nbsp;“The scene of the incident has been surrounded by forces. Levies and other law enforcement agencies are present at the scene. The process of collecting evidence and investigation is underway,” a statement by the Balochistan Home Department said, Dawn reported.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/president-trump-and-china-s-president-xi-jinping-hold-phone-call-1758284142971">Trump to visit China early next year, says Xi approved TikTok deal in ‘very productive’ phone call</a>&nbsp;Balochistan has been witnessing violence for a long time now, due to the constant efforts of separatist groups of insurgency against the present Pakistani government. They allege that the Pakistani government discriminates against the Baloch people.&nbsp;Earlier this month, 15 people were killed in a suicide bombing claimed by the Islamic State group at a political rally in the provincial capital, Quetta.

At least 11 people were killed in two separate bomb blasts in the Balochistan province of Pakistan on Friday (September 19), AFP reported, citing officials.

At least 11 people were killed in two separate bomb blasts in the Balochistan province of Pakistan on Friday (September 19), AFP reported, citing officials. The first incident took place on September 18 when an explosion-laden car drove into a convoy of paramilitary soldiers in the province’s Dasht town near the border with Iran. Five people were killed in that blast, three of them were soldiers. This particular attack was claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), the leading Baloch group waging the armed movement against the Pakistani rule over Balochistan. Also read: ‘Asim Munir trying to make us break down’: Imran Khan alleges ‘mental torture’ on self, wife by Pak army chief The second blast occurred on the same day but near the border with Afghanistan. “The scene of the incident has been surrounded by forces. Levies and other law enforcement agencies are present at the scene. The process of collecting evidence and investigation is underway,” a statement by the Balochistan Home Department said, Dawn reported. Also read: Trump to visit China early next year, says Xi approved TikTok deal in ‘very productive’ phone call Balochistan has been witnessing violence for a long time now, due to the constant efforts of separatist groups of insurgency against the present Pakistani government. They allege that the Pakistani government discriminates against the Baloch people. Earlier this month, 15 people were killed in a suicide bombing claimed by the Islamic State group at a political rally in the provincial capital, Quetta.

At least 11 people were killed in two separate bomb blasts in the Balochistan province of Pakistan on Friday (September 19), AFP reported, citing officials.

Pakistan: 11 killed in 2 bomb blasts in Balochistan

Six bogies of the Jaffar Express derailed after a bomb blast on a railway track in Balochistan's Mastung district. However, no loss of life was reported during the incident, an official said on Sunday, Dawn reported. "A bomb attached to the railway track exploded loudly, derailing six bogies of the train. Fortunately, there was no loss of life," Muhammad Kashif, public relations officer of the Pakistan Railways' Quetta division, told Dawn.com.&nbsp;The incident took place in the vicinity of the Spezand station in Mastung's Dasht tehsil, when the train was en route to Peshawar City station from Quetta with 350 passengers on board. "Security forces and rescue teams rushed to the site as soon as they were alerted about the incident and began a search operation after cordoning off the area," Kashif Dawn added.&nbsp;He further added, "Four bogies of the Jaffar Express had been placed back on the track, while efforts were underway to restore the other two."<h3>All 350 passengers were brought back to Quetta</h3>Meanwhile, the Pakistan Railways operated a relief train following the tragedy, in which all 350 passengers were brought back to Quetta. Whereas, all the stuck bogies on the track will be returned to the city as well, and all tickets will be refunded to the respective passengers, Kashif said in a later statement, Dawn reported.&nbsp;In a separate statement, Kashif added that the Pakistan Railways has suspended the services of the Jaffar Express and Bolan Mail till August 14. And the Bolan Mail will restart to operate on August 16 (Saturday), departing from Karachi "in its proper turn" and reaching Quetta the following day, he added.&nbsp;The incident comes only three days after the Quetta-bound Jaffar Express narrowly avoided disaster in Sibi, Balochistan, when a bomb planted near the railway track detonated moments after the passenger train passed, as per the report by Dawn.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/three-killed-dozens-injured-as-passenger-train-derails-in-germany-1753663618965">Three killed, dozens injured as passenger train derails in Germany</a>

The Jaffar Express was derailed in the area of the Spezand station in Mastung's Dasht tehsil when the train was en route to Peshawar City station from Quetta with 350 passengers on board.

Six bogies of the Jaffar Express derailed after a bomb blast on a railway track in Balochistan's Mastung district. However, no loss of life was reported during the incident, an official said on Sunday, Dawn reported. "A bomb attached to the railway track exploded loudly, derailing six bogies of the train. Fortunately, there was no loss of life," Muhammad Kashif, public relations officer of the Pakistan Railways' Quetta division, told Dawn.com. The incident took place in the vicinity of the Spezand station in Mastung's Dasht tehsil, when the train was en route to Peshawar City station from Quetta with 350 passengers on board. "Security forces and rescue teams rushed to the site as soon as they were alerted about the incident and began a search operation after cordoning off the area," Kashif Dawn added. He further added, "Four bogies of the Jaffar Express had been placed back on the track, while efforts were underway to restore the other two." All 350 passengers were brought back to Quetta Meanwhile, the Pakistan Railways operated a relief train following the tragedy, in which all 350 passengers were brought back to Quetta. Whereas, all the stuck bogies on the track will be returned to the city as well, and all tickets will be refunded to the respective passengers, Kashif said in a later statement, Dawn reported. In a separate statement, Kashif added that the Pakistan Railways has suspended the services of the Jaffar Express and Bolan Mail till August 14. And the Bolan Mail will restart to operate on August 16 (Saturday), departing from Karachi "in its proper turn" and reaching Quetta the following day, he added. The incident comes only three days after the Quetta-bound Jaffar Express narrowly avoided disaster in Sibi, Balochistan, when a bomb planted near the railway track detonated moments after the passenger train passed, as per the report by Dawn. Also read: Three killed, dozens injured as passenger train derails in Germany

The Jaffar Express was derailed in the area of the Spezand station in Mastung's Dasht tehsil when the train was en route to Peshawar City station from Quetta with 350 passengers on board.

TARGETED AGAIN! Jaffar Express derailed in Balochistan after bomb blast: Here's what happened

In March, Pakistan launched its first-ever digital population and housing census and to make every person count, the officials reached 210 kilometres east of Balochistan's capital. Watch how camelback counters trek wilderness for Pakistan Census

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The Balochistan government has sent a SOS but no wheat consignment has reached the Pakistani province so far to solve the shortage. Watch to know more.

Balochistan runs out of wheat, sends SOS

Exiled Pakistani dissidents Karima Baloch and Sajid Hussain Baloch died under suspicious circumstances. Why are Baloch activists in grave danger? Is China trying to crush the Baloch Freedom Movement?

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