Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan has witnessed a sharp rise in violence and uncertainty following a deadly attack on security forces and the mysterious disappearance of two senior university officials, deepening concerns over the long-running insurgency in the region, according to Dawn News.
Authorities confirmed that the vice chancellor and pro-vice chancellor of the University of Gwadar went missing while travelling from the coastal city of Gwadar to the provincial capital, Quetta. Vice Chancellor Dr. Abdul Razzaq Sabir and Pro-Vice Chancellor Syed Manzoor Ahmed had departed on Wednesday morning with a driver and another university employee, according to officials from the provincial Home Department.
Officials said contact with the group was lost after they passed through the Mastung district along the Quetta-Karachi highway. Their mobile phones were reportedly switched off soon afterward, and search efforts involving security agencies and local authorities remain ongoing. Police officials stated that the possibility of kidnapping could not be ruled out, though no group has claimed responsibility for the disappearance.
The incident comes amid escalating violence in Balochistan, where Pakistan’s military said five security personnel, including Major Tauseef, were killed during an intelligence-based operation in the Chamalang area. In a statement, the military said security forces engaged in heavy fighting with armed militants and claimed that seven insurgents were also killed during the clash.
The separatist Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), however, offered a different account, claiming responsibility for what it described as a planned attack on a military convoy. According to the group, the assault began with a roadside explosion followed by gunfire targeting security personnel.
Separate reports also emerged of armed attacks near Noshki and Dalbandin, including an ambush on vehicles transporting mineral resources and the detention of individuals linked to major mining projects. No group has officially claimed responsibility for those incidents.
