Quetta, Pakistan (Agencies): July 5, 2025 – The Balochistan Goods Truck Owners Association has announced an indefinite suspension of mineral transportation across key districts of the province, including Chaghi, Nushki, Muslim Bagh, Loralai, and surrounding areas. The decision, effective from July 5, follows a surge in coordinated attacks on cargo vehicles by various Baloch militant groups, notably the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).
In an emergency meeting chaired by Association President Haji Noor Muhammad Shahwani, transporters cited an alarming deterioration in security conditions. Nearly two dozen trucks were torched or damaged in the past week alone across Nushki, Mastung, Dalbandin, and Kharan. The targeted vehicles were reportedly linked to mineral extraction projects such as Reko Diq and Saindak, which have long been criticized by separatist factions as exploitative ventures.
“The lives of our drivers and workers are at risk. We need protection, not promises,” said Shahwani, urging authorities to take immediate action.
The BLA, which has intensified its campaign against state-backed and foreign mining operations, issued a warning to transporters: cease involvement in mineral logistics or face consequences. In a recent statement, the group claimed responsibility for multiple attacks and declared that any collaboration with what it termed “colonial plunder” would be met with force.
Separately, the BLA claimed responsibility for a brazen armed assault in Mastung city on July 1. According to the group, its fighters seized control of the Tehsil Office and three private banks for nearly two hours, disarmed staff, and confiscated sensitive documents. The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) reportedly responded with armored vehicles but was repelled by BLA fighters using rocket launchers and automatic weapons.
The BLA has since declared the CTD a “Baloch National Enemy Institution,” stating that its personnel and infrastructure will now be treated as direct military targets. The group urged Baloch civilians to socially boycott CTD members and warned Baloch individuals serving in the department to resign or face consequences.
While Pakistani authorities have yet to confirm the full extent of the Mastung incident, local reports indicate casualties and property damage. Security forces have launched search operations in the region, and provincial officials have vowed to restore order.
The suspension of mineral transport threatens to disrupt operations at some of Pakistan’s most lucrative mining sites, including the copper-gold reserves at Reko Diq. It also underscores the growing volatility in Balochistan, where federal-provincial tensions over resource control have been exacerbated by the controversial Balochistan Mines and Minerals Act 2025.
As the region braces for further unrest, stakeholders warn that without meaningful security guarantees and inclusive governance, Balochistan’s mineral wealth may continue to fuel conflict rather than development.