Balochistan Timeline - 2018

January 1

Eight persons, including three Security Officials, were injured in two separate explosions in Chaman District of Balochistan. The first explosion took place near an under-construction building on Chaman’s Mall Road injuring two persons. Second explosion targeted a Police Check Post in the same area and injured six persons, including three Security Officials.

The report compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) shows that terrorists carried out 23 suicide attacks in different parts of the country in 2017, whereas 2016 and 2015 had witnessed 17 and 18 such incidents, respectively.

1,387 people, including 585 civilians, 555 militants and 247 SFs personnel, were killed and 1,965 people, including 1,580 civilians, were injured in militancy-related incidents, including militant attacks and SFs actions. Militants carried out at least 420 attacks in which 912 people, including 584 civilians, 225 SFs personnel and 103 militants, were killed and 1,877 injured. SFs conducted 522 operations in which left 475 people, including 452 militants and 22 SFs personnel, dead and 88 people injured. SFs also arrested 1,760 suspected militants during 2017.

The year 2017 saw the highest number of militant attacks in Balochistan where 183 militant attacks took place in which 308 people, including 208 civilians and 84 SFs personnel, were killed and 572 people suffered injuries. The province remained target of a variety of militant groups, including sub-nationalist militants, sectarian and international militant groups. Overall 43pc of the total militant attacks in the country were recorded in Balochistan and 10 out of 23 suicide attacks (43pc) took place in the province. SFs conducted 134 operations against militants in Balochistan in which 112 militants were killed and 657 arrested.

102 militant attacks were recorded in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in which 339 people, including 206 civilians, 65 SFs and 68 militants, were killed and 858 people, including 629 civilians, suffered injuries. As many as 58 security operations were reported from FATA in which 84 militants and five SFs were killed. SFs also arrested at least 79 suspects from FATA.

SFs conducted at least four actions in Azad Kashmir in which 12 suspected militants were arrested. Fourteen suspected militants were arrested from Gilgit-Baltistan region in two Sfs actions while four suspects were arrested in three actions in Islamabad.

KP witnessed significant improvement in security situation as all indicators saw negative trends. There was 40pc decline in the number of militant attacks and 47pc decline in the number of deaths in the province. A total of 75 militant attacks were recorded in KP in which 92 people, including 43 civilians, 34 SFs personnel and 15 militants, were killed while 175 people, including 136 civilians, were injured. KP saw the second highest number of suicide attacks during the year as at least six suicide attacks were reported from the province. In 2016, five suicide attacks took place in the province. SFs conducted at least 103 actions against militants in which 543 suspects were arrested and 41 killed during 2017.

Sindh saw a 40pc decrease in militant attacks, but with 84pc increase in the number of deaths during 2017. Militants carried out 40 attacks in the province killing 112 people, including 92 civilians and 17 SFs personnel. Another 303 people were injured in these attacks. The province saw one suicide attack during 2017. SFs conducted at least 98 actions against militants in which 110 suspects were killed and 153 arrested.

Punjab witnessed seven per cent increase in militant attacks, but there was 37pc decline in deaths. During the year, 15 militant attacks took place in the province in which 59 people, including 34 civilians and 24 SFs personnel, were killed and 208 people, all of them civilians, suffered injuries. The province also witnessed three suicide bombings one more than 2016. SFs conducted 119 operations against militants in the province in which 105 militants were killed and 298 arrested.

Two militant attacks were reported from Azad Jammu and Kashmir in which one civilian died and five were injured. Three violent militant activities of low intensity were reported from Islamabad in which one person lost his life. No violent militant activity was reported from Gilgit-Baltistan region.

January 2

Two militants were killed and twelve FC Personnel injured in a suicide attack involving explosion followed by firing near an FC check post in the Baleli area of Quetta.

January 4

Eight militants among fifteen suspects were arrested by FC Balochistan from Districts of Zhob, Sibbi, Nasirabad (Dera Murad Jamali), Bolan (Mach), and Quetta (Killi Ismail). 70 kilograms of explosive, weapons and ammunition and communication equipment were also recovered.

January 6

Two militants were killed by SFs in Nawa Killi near Quetta. Police said that they were attempting to arrest the accomplices of an arrested suspect who was in the vehicle with the SFs in order to help in identifying the suspects. Security officials (unnamed) said, “However, the suspect’s accomplices opened fire in a bid to help their detained friend escape. In the resulting exchange, one of the attackers, as well as the under-arrest suspect, were killed. Two terrorists, however, escaped from the scene”.

Armed assailants killed a Policeman belonging to the Rapid Response Group (RRG) and injured another near Sariab Flyover in Quetta. The deceased was identified as RRG Constable Muhammad Alam.

FC Balochistan recovered IEDs, arms and ammunition during an IBO in Mastung District. “Through an IBO [intelligence based operation] in Mastung based on lead from apprehended suspects, [FC] recovered cache of arms, ammunition and explosives including sniper rifles, grenade and IEDs hidden in caves for a major terrorist activity,” the ISPR said in a statement.

TTP and its associated outfits remain the most potent threat followed by nationalist insurgent groups despite a 16 per cent decline in militant attacks in 2017, said a security report issued by PIPS. The report mentioned that IS footprint was increasing in Balochistan, FATA and Northern Sindh, and were carrying out deadly attacks. The report said that militant, nationalist and violent sectarian groups carried out, in all, 370 terrorist attacks in 64 districts of Pakistan during the year 2017, including 24 suicide and gun-and-suicide coordinated attacks, killing 815 people, besides injuring 1,736. These attacks posted a 16 per cent decrease from the total in 2016; and the number of people killed also dropped by 10 per cent.

Of these attacks, as many as 213, or 58 per cent, were perpetrated by TTP , its splinter groups, mainly JuA and other militant groups with similar objectives such as local Taliban groups, killing 186 people. Nationalist insurgent groups, mostly in Balochistan and a few in Sindh, carried out 138 attacks, or 37 per cent of the total, killing 140 people. As many as 19 terrorist attacks were sectarian, which killed 71 people and inflicted injuries on 97 others, according to the report. It also noted that compared to 2016, a significant surge of 131 per cent was witnessed during 2017 in cross-border attacks from Pakistan’s borders with Afghanistan, India and Iran. A total of 171 cross-border attacks claimed 188 lives and injured 348 others.

SFs and LEA killed a total of 524 militants in 2017, as against 809 in 2016, in 75 military operations as well as 68 armed clashes and encounters with the militants reported from across the four provinces and FATA. According to the report, some new challenges raised their heads, including emergence of self-radicalised individuals and small terrorist cells, growing incidence of religious extremism including on educational campuses, and, most importantly, increasing footprints of IS in parts of the country and convergence of its fighters in Afghanistan near Pakistani border. In 2017, IS and its local affiliates claimed 6 major attacks, killing 153 people.

January 8

Three militants were arrested by FC Balochistan during IBOs conducted under Operation Radd-ul-Fassad in Dhadar and Mastung Districts, states ISPR. Cache of arms and ammunition including IEDs, hand grenade, detonators and communication equipment were also recovered.

January 9

Seven people, including five Policemen, were killed and 16 others, including eight Policemen, injured in a suicide blast by a TTP militant near GPO Chowk on Zarghoon Road of Quetta. The suicide bomber targeted the Police contingent returning from duty at the Provincial Assembly building and rammed into the parked Police truck. IG of Balochistan Police Moazzam Jah Ansari said that he could "tell in advance" that the suicide bomber must have come from across the Afghanistan border.

January 10

Muhammad Bakhsh alias Jaggo a former militant ‘commander’ belonging to BLF was killed by militants in the Nasirabad area of Turbat town in Kech District. According to Levies Officials, Jaggo was an important ‘commander ‘of BLF, however, differences cropped up between him and the BLF leadership after the killing of National Party leader Mola Bakhsh Dashti in an attack. Jaggo then left the BLF and formed his own militant group. Three years ago, he abandoned militancy and surrendered to the Government.

US State Department updated its threat assessment for Pakistan; Balochistan, KP, FATA and PoK were placed in the “do not travel” category due to militancy.

January 14

One health worker was killed by unidentified militants Alikhel area of Qila Saifullah District.

Five FC Personnel were killed and six others injured in an ambush by militants in Shapok area of Kech District in Balochistan. According to (unnamed) Officials two FC vehicles, transporting Soldiers from Panjgur to Turban in Balochistan, were attacked with automatic weapons when they were crossing the mountainous area of Shapok. Turbat Assistant Commissioner Dr Jamil Baloch said that "as a result of the firing and overturning of the vehicles, five FC personnel got martyred and six others sustained injured". The deceased were identified as Havaldar Zakir, Lance Naik Masood, Sepoy Shahbaz Qasir, Sepoy Farmanullah and Sepoy Masood while the injured included Havaldar Qambar, Asadullah, Sohail, Muhammad Bilal, Muhammad Hanif and Shafqatullah.

Two Balochistan Constabulary personnel, identified as Ilyas and Shaukat, were shot dead while another one, identified as Javed, sustain injury when unidentified militants attacked them on Double Road area of Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan. The personnel were reportedly deployed at a flyover in the area for security duty.

Unidentified militants shot dead a Police constable, identified as Naseer Ahmed, while was going to report for duty on the Raisani Road area of Quetta. However, the attackers managed to escape from the spot after the attack.

Two Policemen among three people were injured in a hand grenade attack on a vehicle in Chaman town of Killa Abdullah District. Police said that unidentified assailants hurled hand grenade at a vehicle near Edhi police picket in Chaman. The attack partially damaged the vehicle, besides injuring three people, including two Policemen. The assailants fled the scene after the attack.

Police foiled a major terror bid as it recovered two bomb planted by the roadside in Quetta, which were defused by the BDS. According to details, a remote control bomb, weighing four to five kilogrammes, was planted by some unidentified miscreants in a cycle in Shafi Colony near Sariab Road, which was defused.

Two female polio vaccination workers were killed when their team comes under the fire of unidentified assailants in the Shalkot area of Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan. "Sakina Bibi and her daughter Rizwana Bibi (12) were killed by unknown assailants," spokesman of Emergency Operation Centre for Polio Eradication Balochistan Muhammad Zafar said.

SFs apprehended eight terrorists and seized weapons from their possession in different areas of Balochistan. According to ISPR, FC Balochistan conducted IBOs in Gulistan, Pishin, Kanack, Dera Bugti, Uch, Sambaza Dera Murad Jamali and Sibbi and arrested eight terrorists including an illegal Afghan national. The FC personnel recovered weapons and ammunition including IEDs, rockets, fuses, grenades, mortars and explosives from their possession.

Former SHO of Airport Police Station Fazlur Rehman Kakar was shot dead in a targeted attack in Yat Road area of Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan. According to Police, Fazlur Rehman Kakar was sitting outside his car showroom on Yat Road when unidentified assailants shot him dead. Kakar was dismissed as the Airport SHO after the May 17, 2011 Kharotabad incident in which four Russians and one Tajik nationals were killed. These five foreigners were shot dead after they allegedly failed to stop at a Police checkpoint. The victims included three women, including a pregnant one. Several high-profile inquiries were conducted into the incident to ascertain the role of the FC and Police. As a result of the judicial inquiry by Justice Hashim Khan Kakar, Quetta CCPO Daud Junejo, FC's Colonel Faisal Shehzad, SHO Fazlur Rehman Kakar and ASI Raza Khan were held responsible. In August 2013, unidentified assailants shot dead ASI Raza while he was standing outside his house in Quetta. On December 29, 2011, Police surgeon and key witness in the incident, Dr Baqir Shah, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Quetta. The doctor was previously roughed up by Police as his statement differed from the official version of security agencies.

At least two hundred separatists' militants of the BRP, including 15 'commanders', laid down their weapons before Chief Minister, Abdul Quddus Bizenjo and Commander Southern Command Lieutenant General Asim Saleem Bajwa at a ceremony held at FC Headquarters in Turbat town in Kech District in Balochistan. The separatists' militants announced submitting to the writ of the State and becoming part of the national mainstream, according to an official press release.

Pakistani PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on inaugurated the Gwadar Economic Free Zone as part of the CPEC.

The Baloch militant organisations are no longer a threat to the CPEC, said Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing, adding that members of banned outfits were "not true Pakistanis". In an interview to BBC Urdu, he sounded confident that Gwadar port would soon become one of the world's trading hubs as the security situation in Pakistan had improved to a large extent in the last few years. "If they [Baloch militants] are true Pakistanis, they should work in the interest of Pakistan," he said brushing aside their capacity of becoming a threat to China, Pakistan and their CPEC project. Yao Jing said he was satisfied with the security provided to about 10,000 Chinese nationals working on different CPEC projects in Pakistan which also has some 60,000 local people on different jobs.

An accidental hand grenade explosion in a home in the Tusp area of Panjgur District in Balochistan killed a woman and her daughter and injured her son. Makran Division Commissioner Bashir Bangulzai said that the boy had found a hand grenade and taken it home. The grenade exploded while he was playing with it inside his house. The boy's mother and sister died in the blast, while the injured boy was shifted to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.

At least one person was killed and seven passers-by injured in a roadside blast in Chitkan area of Panjgur District. Police said that unknown miscreants had planted a bomb in a motorcycle to target a pro government tribal notable Kamran Mengal. Baloch Liberation Front has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Balochistan CM Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo said that because of concrete steps taken by the Government, insurgency is on the wane in the province as militants have surrendered their weapons and joined the mainstream to play their role in the development of the country. Talking to a delegation of British journalists, the chief minister said that a few elements sitting abroad had misguided the youth of Balochistan, but now they (the youth) had understood the designs of those people and foiled their conspiracies by joining mainstream politics.

The FC, during ongoing Operation Raddul Fasaad, recovered a huge cache of ammunition and weaponry from Sherani area in Dera Murad Jamali area of the District Nasirabad. "A huge cache of ammunition, weaponry, mobile SIMs, communication equipment was recovered during the action. However, no arrests were made during the process. The security forces cordoned off the area in search of the fleeing miscreants," the ISPR, said.

At least four FC personnel were killed in a targeted firing incident in Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan. The FC personnel were patrolling the area near Sariab road when unidentified militants on a motorcycle opened fire at their vehicle, critically injuring all four who later succumbed to their injuries. Governor Balochistan Mohammad Khan Achakzai condemns the attack and urged the LEAs arrest the culprits at the earliest.

IG of Balochistan Police Moazzam Jah Ansari has said that a proposal of establishing a Police force, comprising around 1,500 personnel, exclusively for security duty in the Quetta city is under consideration. Also, the IG, Moazzam Jah Ansari said that recently 220 personnel of the ATF had completed their training while another badge of ATF personnel would be sent for the specialized training soon. He said the proposal for establishing the new force for security duty had been sent to the chief minister for approval.

Six persons were killed in an explosion occurred inside a house in Killa Saifullah District of Balochistan. The house collapsed as a result of the explosion and several people were reportedly trapped under the debris.