Bomb blast on train in Balochistan, Pakistan: Why is violence escalating?
Sarah Shamim
A suicide car bombing targeting a military train in Quetta, Balochistan, on May 24 killed at least 24 people and wounded over 50. The separatist group Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility, raising fears of escalating violence in the resource-rich province. The attack coincided with Prime Minister Sharif's visit to China, highlighting challenges to Pakistan's foreign investment efforts.
At least 24 people were killed and more than 50 wounded in a suicide car bombing targeting a military train in Quetta, the capital of Pakistan's Balochistan province, on Sunday (May 24). The attack occurred as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was on a four-day visit to China, ahead of a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Monday (May 25), marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The separatist armed group Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack. The organization campaigns for an independent state for the Baloch region and strongly opposes large-scale Chinese investments in the area.
According to Al Jazeera correspondent Kamal Hyder at the scene, many homes and buildings along the railway tracks were severely damaged, with train carriages overturned and set ablaze. Local media reported a state of emergency at public hospitals in Quetta, requiring doctors and medical staff to be on continuous duty.
Prime Minister Sharif condemned the attack on social media platform X, calling it a "cowardly act of terrorism" and reaffirming Pakistan's resolve to eliminate terrorism in all forms. He stated that initial reports indicated a suicide bombing, though this has not been officially confirmed.
Separatist violence escalates
According to data from the Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS), Balochistan recorded at least 254 attacks in 2025 – an increase of about 26% compared to 2024. A December 2025 report from conflict monitoring organization ACLED showed that attacks using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and grenades targeting convoys and police stations rose more than 65% in the first 11 months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
The 2026 Global Terrorism Index (GTI) report confirmed that BLA was behind the largest terrorist attack in Pakistan in 2025 – the hijacking of the Jaffar Express train from Quetta to Peshawar in March 2025, which held 400 passengers hostage.
Professor Emeritus of South Asian Studies at the University of Bradford (UK), Yunas Samad, noted that after the coordinated attack on the Jaffar Express, Pakistani authorities appeared to have stepped up security measures, but the latest incident shows that armed groups still maintain significant operational capacity.
Who are the BLA and other Baloch armed groups?
BLA, with its suicide squad known as the Majeed Brigade, is the largest among ethnic separatist organizations that have fought against the federal government of Pakistan for decades. The group typically targets infrastructure and security forces in Balochistan but has also struck in other areas, notably the port city of Karachi.
BLA was designated a "foreign terrorist organization" by the United States in August 2025, a move welcomed by the Pakistani government. The group was at the center of retaliatory attacks between Iran and Pakistan in 2024, pushing the two neighboring countries to the brink of war.
Causes of the Baloch separatist movement
With a population of about 15 million (according to the 2023 census), Balochistan is the poorest province in Pakistan despite possessing abundant natural resources such as coal, gold, copper, and gas. BLA alleges that the federal government unfairly exploits these resources without benefiting local communities.
The deep-sea port of Gwadar in Balochistan serves as a crucial trade corridor for the $65 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, part of China's Belt and Road Initiative. The region also hosts the Reko Diq mine – one of the world's largest gold and copper deposits, operated by Canadian mining company Barrick Gold.
Balochistan was annexed by Pakistan in 1948, six months after the partition of India. Since then, the province has experienced at least five separatist insurgencies. The movement intensified sharply after the military government of Pervez Musharraf killed prominent ethnic nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti in 2006.
Significance of escalating violence
The attack came precisely as Prime Minister Sharif met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, highlighting challenges to Pakistan's efforts to attract foreign investment. The Baloch separatist movement represents one of the major unresolved issues for the Pakistani state, affecting national unity and reinforcing the military's role in political life.
Additionally, geological surveys indicate Balochistan contains 12 of the 17 rare earth minerals, critical for high-tech manufacturing. When Prime Minister Sharif met US President Donald Trump in September 2025, he offered US access to these minerals. In December 2025, the US announced a $1.25 billion investment in mining at Reko Diq.
"Speculation about state collapse is premature, but any significant escalation in internal instability in a nuclear-armed country draws international attention. For that reason, developments in Balochistan will continue to be closely watched both regionally and globally," warned Professor Samad.
