ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday ordered authorities to investigate a roadside bomb blast in the country’s southwestern Turbat city that killed one person, vowing to bring the culprits to book and continue the state’s war against militants.
The incident follows the Jan. 4 blast near Turbat when at least five paramilitary soldiers were killed and over two dozen others injured after a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device targeted a bus carrying security personnel.
Monday’s roadside bomb blast in Turbat killed one person, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the incident.
“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemns the roadside bomb blast in Turbat,” a statement from Sharif’s office said. “The prime minister has directed the incident be investigated.”
Sharif said those responsible for the blast should be immediately identified and punished.
“We will continue the war against terrorism until Pakistan is cleansed of it,” Sharif said. “Those who carry out such terrorist activities are enemies of the development of Balochistan.”
Balochistan, a mineral-rich province sharing borders with Iran and Afghanistan, has faced an insurgency for decades, which has intensified in recent years. The Baloch separatists accuse the Pakistani state of exploiting the region’s resources without adequately benefiting its population.
However, Pakistani governments deny the allegations, saying they have launched several development projects to promote prosperity and improve the lives of residents in the province.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), with a strong presence in Balochistan, has emerged as a major threat to the state, carrying out deadly attacks, including suicide bombings, to target Pakistani security forces.
According to provincial administration data, Balochistan witnessed a dramatic surge in militant violence in 2024, resulting in about 300 deaths in over 550 attacks.
