On the 29th of September, in the Mastung district of Balochistan province, Pakistan, a religious procession observing the Prophet Mohammed’s birthday was marred by a disastrous suicide bombing.
This violence caused at least 57 deaths and left over 58 individuals wounded, with many in critical condition.
Worshippers were leaving a mosque when the disaster occurred. While no group immediately claimed the attack, groups such as the Pakistani Taliban and ISIS-Khorasan, known to have a presence in Pakistan and Afghanistan, have been associated with similar violent acts in Balochistan.
Later the same day, a separate explosion took place in a mosque during Friday prayers in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. This blast caused the mosque’s roof to collapse and led to an additional five fatalities, with several worshippers trapped in the rubble.
Among those killed in the initial blast was senior police officer Mohammad Nawaz. Although it was swiftly recognized as a deliberate act of terror, ongoing investigations will decide whether it was specifically a suicide strike. Despite the high-alert status, the attack was not deterred.
In response to these violent acts, Pakistani officials, including the president and the interior minister, have expressed their condemnation and offered condolences. Following the incidents, there has been a sharp increase in the security measures around mosques in major Pakistani cities, especially during prayer times.
Rich in gas resources, the province of Balochistan is familiar with periodic violence, including a long-lasting low-intensity rebellion by Baloch separatists and sporadic attacks by Islamic State militants. There is a call among separatists for a more equitable share of the province’s resources. Due to its shared border with Afghanistan, the area is susceptible to incursions and attacks by Islamist militants aiming to challenge the Pakistani state.
