By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The United States on Thursday strongly condemned a suicide bombing that killed at least 15 people at a political rally in the restive southwestern province of Balochistan, joining Pakistani leaders in denouncing the attack claimed by the Islamic State and pledging continued solidarity in the fight against terrorism.
The blast struck a public meeting of the Balochistan National Party (BNP) on Tuesday night in a busy area near Shahwani Stadium in Quetta, the provincial capital, leaving more than a dozen dead and nearly 38 wounded, according to local authorities. It marked the latest in a surge of militant violence that has plagued Pakistan’s border regions, particularly Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“We offer our sincere condolences to the loved ones of those who were killed and injured,” the US Embassy in Islamabad said in a statement posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “The Pakistani people deserve to live free from violence and fear.”
Expressing solidarity with Islamabad, the embassy added that Washington “stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Pakistan against reprehensible terrorist groups such as Daesh that has claimed responsibility for this attack, and in the global fight against terrorism.” Daesh is an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State, which has a regional affiliate active in the area.
The attack prompted swift responses from Pakistan’s top officials. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued strong condemnations of the terror strike targeting the BNP’s gathering. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti directed authorities to shift the wounded to Karachi if needed for advanced medical care, officials said.
The provincial government has formed an investigation committee to probe the incident, amid questions about security lapses at the rally. Separately, a spokesperson for the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) said a case had been registered against unidentified individuals, incorporating charges of murder, attempted murder and provisions under anti-terrorism laws.
The bombing unfolded against a backdrop of heightened militant activity in Pakistan. According to a report released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), an Islamabad-based think tank, the country witnessed 78 terrorist attacks during June, which resulted in at least 100 deaths. Among the fatalities were 53 security personnel, 39 civilians, six militants, and two members of local peace committees.
A total of 189 people were injured in those incidents, including 126 members of the security forces and 63 civilians. Altogether, the violence and counterterrorism operations led to 175 deaths in June — among them, 55 security personnel, 77 militants, 41 civilians, and two peace committee members.
The PICSS data underscores a persistent threat from groups like the Islamic State and others operating in the volatile provinces, where separatist insurgencies and cross-border militancy have long complicated efforts to maintain stability. Balochistan, rich in natural resources but plagued by underdevelopment and ethnic tensions, has seen a particular uptick in such attacks in recent months.
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