Quetta (Balochistan),
September 4 (H.S.):The Islamic State (IS) group has claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing that targeted a Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP) rally in Quetta. At least 15 people were killed on the spot and more than 30 were injured in the attack, which occurred Monday evening outside Shahwani Stadium shortly after the rally concluded. Health officials later confirmed that five of the injured succumbed to their wounds in hospital, bringing the death toll to 20. Twenty-nine others remain under treatment, with the critically wounded expected to be shifted to Karachi.
According to The Balochistan Post, the Islamic State released statements via its affiliated outlets Amaq and Khilafat News, identifying the suicide bomber as Ali al-Muhajir. The group claimed BNP was targeted due to its nationalist and democratic political ideology. Reports further highlighted that this was the second attempt this year to assassinate BNP leader Sardar Akhtar Mengal. A previous attempt was made in March during a sit-in protest in Mastung.
BNP chief Akhtar Mengal accused the government of failing to prevent repeated attacks against him and his party, alleging that security warnings were ignored and his personal protection had even been withdrawn. The BNP has declared three days of mourning. Shops in Mengal’s hometown of Wadh have closed in protest. Meanwhile, High Court Bar Association and local bar associations in Kech, Gwadar, and Panjgur announced a boycott of court proceedings.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) condemned the bombing, calling it not merely a security failure but part of a broader strategy of repression. Similarly, Baloch National Movement (BNM) leader Dr. Naseem Baloch described the Quetta attack as an extension of state violence.
At a press briefing, Additional Chief Secretary for Home Affairs Hamza Shafqat stated that BNP organizers had been warned three times to call off the rally due to security threats. The explosion, he said, occurred 45 minutes after the gathering ended, about 500 meters from the venue. “Had it taken place inside, the casualties would have been far greater,” he noted. Authorities confirmed that the bomber was under 30 years of age but has not yet been formally identified.
Shafqat further revealed that 120 police officers had been deployed for the rally’s security and announced stricter restrictions on future gatherings, including a potential ban on political events after evening prayers. BNP leaders, however, rejected the official explanation. Party leader Sana Baloch accused the provincial government of deliberate negligence, pointing out that heavy security resources were recently deployed for Independence Day celebrations and sporting events, while a peaceful political rally was left vulnerable.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
