Car Bombing Kills 10 in Quetta Outside Paramilitary Headquarters

A suicide car bombing outside the paramilitary headquarters in Quetta, the capital of Pakistan's Balochistan province, killed at least 10 people, including civilians and security personnel, and injured more than 30 others. The attack was followed by a gun battle in which four militants were killed by security forces. Although no group has claimed responsibility, Pakistani officials, including President Asif Ali Zardari, have blamed a pro-India extremist group known as Fitna-e-Khawarij, linked to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban-e-Pakistan. The region has witnessed increased violence from both Islamist militants, who seek to impose strict Islamic governance, and separatist insurgents fighting for a share of regional resources, complicating security efforts. Quetta and Balochistan are strategically important due to resources and projects like the China-backed Gwadar Port, making the area a focal point of geopolitical tensions. Officials condemned the attack as an attempt to disrupt development and prosperity in the region.