Three Bomb Blasts Kill 25, Injure Dozens Across Pakistan

At least 25 people were killed and dozens injured in three coordinated attacks across Pakistan, including a suicide bombing that targeted a political rally in Quetta, Balochistan's capital, where 14 people died and many were critically wounded. The rally was held by the Balochistan National Party (BNP), whose chief Akhtar Mengal was unharmed. Additionally, five paramilitary personnel were killed near the Iran border in Balochistan when their convoy was hit by a homemade bomb, and six soldiers died in a prolonged militant assault on a paramilitary base in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa claimed by the Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan group. Balochistan remains Pakistan's largest and most resource-rich but poorest province, with ongoing insurgency and rising violence, including over 782 deaths in 2024 alone. The BNP advocates for the rights and economic welfare of the Baloch ethnic community amid significant Chinese infrastructure investments under the One Belt One Road initiative, which many locals feel benefits outsiders more than residents. Authorities have launched investigations and heightened security measures following the attacks, which highlight persistent threats from extremist groups in Pakistan's western regions.