On Tuesday night, Quetta witnessed a series of attacks as three rockets were fired from different directions, targeting the Nawab Akbar Khan Stadium (Ayub Stadium) during ongoing Pakistan Independence Day celebrations. The attacks resulted in no reported casualties.
Reportedly, one of the rockets landed in the stadium’s parking area, while the other two fell in the surrounding vicinity. The rockets were fired from an unknown direction.
This latest attack comes on the heels of four explosions earlier in the day at flag stalls and other locations in Quetta, including the Sariab and China Market areas of Liaquat Bazar. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for two of these operations, stating that their freedom fighters specifically targeted the “so-called Independence Day celebrations and flag stalls.”
In a statement released by BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch, the group reiterated its commitment to targeting events organized under the guise of “Independence Day” celebrations. He said that the Pak Army is using such events to “forcibly portray Balochistan as part of Pakistan,” and he argues that this claim contradicts the “historical and ground realities” of the region.
The BLA’s statement further asserted that their operations against the “occupying Pakistan military and its collaborators” would continue. This declaration underscores the persistent unrest and resistance in Pak-occupied-Balochistan, where the BLA and other groups have long opposed Pak Army’s brutality.