At least 11 people were killed and 40 others injured in a suicide bombing at a political rally in Quetta, the capital of Pakistan’s Balochistan province. Officials told AFP that the explosion occurred in the parking area of a stadium where hundreds of supporters of the Balochistan National Party (BNP) had gathered.

The incident took place following a rally attended by BNP-M’s acting president, Advocate Sajid Tareen. The gathering was organized to mark the death anniversary of the party’s founder, Ataullah Mengal. Rescue teams quickly reached the scene, moving the injured to local hospitals, while security forces cordoned off the area and began collecting evidence.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti strongly condemned the attack, calling it a cowardly act by “enemies of humanity.” He added that the terrorists’ objectives would not be allowed to succeed. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the bombing, but Balochistan has long been a center of separatist insurgency and armed violence.

According to official figures, Pakistani forces have been fighting armed groups in Balochistan for more than a decade. In 2024 alone, at least 782 people were killed in violence. That March, the Baloch Liberation Army seized a train, took passengers hostage, and executed absent military personnel during a three-day blockade.

Since January 1, 2025, at least 430 people—including members of the security forces—have been killed in armed attacks in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Most recently, on Tuesday, six soldiers were killed in Bannu when a suicide attacker rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the gate of a military base.

The Quetta suicide bombing once again highlights Pakistan’s fragile security situation. The continuing violence and insurgency in Balochistan remain a major threat to the country’s political stability and internal security.