QUETTA; Mobile internet services were suspended across Balochistan on Wednesday, including in the provincial capital Quetta, as part of heightened security measures following a sharp rise in terrorist incidents.
The provincial authorities, citing serious threats to public safety, confirmed the decision to suspend services in several districts, including Kohlu, Chaman, Qila Abdullah, Pishin, Loralai, Ziarat, Qila Saifullah, Nushki, and Harnai.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) said the disruption was implemented on the instructions of law enforcement agencies to prevent the misuse of digital platforms by militants.
The move comes amid an alarming surge in militant violence, particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, after the Afghan Taliban’s takeover in 2021.
Recent attacks have highlighted the deteriorating security landscape in the region. Just last month, a Balochistan Constabulary official was martyred and three others injured in an ambush on the acting Deputy Superintendent of Police’s convoy in Mastung.
Days earlier, Indian-backed militants killed Pakistan Army Major Syed Rabnawaz Tariq in Balochistan’s Awaran district. On the same day, gunmen opened fire on a passenger coach in Kalat, killing three civilians and injuring seven more.
While the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) reported a slight decline in militant activity in June, the situation remains volatile.
The think tank recorded 78 terror incidents that month, resulting in 100 fatalities and 189 injuries, with security forces bearing the brunt.
Authorities remain on high alert, with ongoing operations to neutralize threats, but the recurrence of deadly attacks has raised serious concerns about cross-border militant support and the evolving tactics of extremist groups.
