The province has been the site of a low-level insurgency by separatist militants for over two decades, although militant attacks have intensified significantly in recent months.
Last August, Baloch separatists launched a string of coordinated attacks targeting civilians and military forces, resulting in more than 50 deaths within a few hours. The latest attack on Pakistani security forces follows a deadly suicide bombing last week at the crowded Quetta railway station, which killed over two dozen people, including army personnel and wounded more than 50 others.
“Armed militants attacked a Frontier Corps check-post in Shah Mardan, an area located 60 kilometers from Kalat city at midnight,” Kalat’s Deputy Commissioner Bilal Shabir told Arab News over the phone.
“Seven soldiers of the paramilitary force were killed in the attack and 12 injured,” he continued, sharing the details of the armed assault. “Subsequently, a security clearance operation was carried out in the mountainous area.”
Asked how many attackers were killed in the skirmish, the deputy commissioner said authorities had not received information on that.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the banned separatist group Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack, saying its fighters had targeted the paramilitary post in Kalat.
The BLA, the largest of several Baloch ethnic insurgent groups, seeks independence for the volatile province, which is home to approximately 15 million people and borders Afghanistan to the north and Iran to the west.
The BLA and other Baloch nationalist groups accuse the Pakistani state of unfairly exploiting the province’s rich gas and mineral resources— an allegation denied by successive governments, which claim to have been undertaking development projects to improve residents’ quality of life.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack on FC personnel, calling the attackers enemies of the province’s economic development.
The prime minister also ordered quality medical treatment for those injured in the attack in Kalat, a remote district located about 140 kilometers from Quetta.
According to reports, the martyred personnel have been identified as naik Bakht Zameen, lance naik Ghulam Ishaq, lance naik Abdul Qadeer, sepoy Rizwan, sepoy Waqas, sepoy Ali Abbas and sepoy Saqib Rehman.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the terrorist attack on unarmed civilians. In a statement from the PM Office, he expressed deep sorrow over the incident, praying for the departed souls and strength for their families to endure the loss.
He also directed authorities to provide the best medical care to those injured in the attack.
The PM called for immediate action against the perpetrators, emphasizing that they should be given exemplary punishment. He described the attack as a cowardly act by elements seeking to destabilize Balochistan and hinder its progress.
Such actions, he affirmed, would not deter the government’s resolve to ensure the development and prosperity of the province. He vowed to thwart the designs of Pakistan's enemies and reiterated the government’s commitment to eradicating terrorism from the country.
Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party President and Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan denounced the attack, calling it a cowardly act of terrorism. He paid tribute to the security personnel who sacrificed their lives to protect the nation.
“Security personnel once again sacrificed their lives to protect the motherland. No effort will be spared to eliminate the menace of terrorism,” Khan stated, adding that Pakistan faces ongoing security challenges, but expressed confidence in achieving complete success.
Aleem Khan also extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the martyrs and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured.
