BALOCHISTAN: Security forces successfully foiled a major terrorist attack planned by the proscribed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) for August 14, with a university professor identified as a facilitator. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti stated that the attack was part of a larger plan to destabilize Pakistan and Balochistan, emphasizing that security agencies acted swiftly to thwart the conspiracy.
The accused, Professor Usman Qazi, a government employee with a PhD in Pakistan Studies, is currently under interrogation. He allegedly admitted on video to his involvement with the BLA, detailing his recruitment by the group while studying at Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) in Islamabad.
Bugti also linked Qazi to the November 2024 Quetta Railway Station bombing, which killed 32 people and injured over 50. Qazi allegedly facilitated the bomber’s transportation and provided shelter to the individual responsible for the attack.
The Chief Minister further dismissed claims of Balochistan’s deprivation, calling them “propaganda” and warning against joining militant groups like the BLA. Bugti reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eliminating terrorism in the region and stressed that those responsible for violence in the name of Baloch identity must be dealt with under the National Action Plan.
