Balochistan: Roadside explosion kills six Pakistani soldiers

QUETTA: At least six Pakistani paramilitary troops including a major were killed in an improvised explosive device (IED) in district Kech Balochistan on Friday.

Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, said May 8 that the security forces were returning from patrolling duty when an improvised explosive device (IED) hit their reconnaissance vehicle.

The killed Pakistani forces personnel have been named as Major Nadeem Abbas Bhatti, resident of Hafizabad, Naik Jamshed, resident of Mianwali, Lance Naik Taimoor, resident of Taunsa Sharif, Lance Naik Khizer Hayat, resident of Attock, Sepoy Sajid, resident of Mardan and Sepoy Nadeem, resident of Taunsa Sharif.

Today’s attack was the latest in a series of ambushes on Pakistani forces in the mineral-rich Balochistan, a key route of $64 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.

The Western Part of Balochistan is occupied by Iran whereas the Northern part fell under Afghanistan control after the British drew the Durand Line due to which large chunks of Afghanistan were given to Pakistan. The Baloch and Afghans, however, have never accepted the Durand Line.

Balochistan is strategically important because of the rich presence of copper, zinc, and natural gas.

The Baloch people are currently ‘at war with Pakistan’ because at the end of British rule in 1947 Balochistan declared its independence but their sovereign country was forcibly incorporated into Pakistan in 1948.

Baloch people have fought five wars of liberations against Pakistan, the latest and ongoing attempt to push for freedom started in 1996 which is considered by far the more organised and widespread compared to previous insurgencies in Balochistan.