Six security officials have been killed in an attack in southwest Pakistan when their convoy came under heavy firing in a mountainous area near the border with Iran.

Pakistan's restive Balochistan province has been hit by a number of attacks on security personnel, but the number of large-scale incidents had decreased significantly since 2016.

The province's information minister Zahoor Ahmed Buledi told the Reuters news agency on Friday that six members of the Frontier Corps paramilitary force in charge of security in the region were killed in "heavy" firing along a mountainous stretch of road in the Kech district.

Fourteen others were wounded.

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and the Baloch Raji Ajoie Sangar (BRAS), armed Baloch separatist groups, have both claimed responsibility for the attack, in statements emailed to Al Jazeera.

Restive province

Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, has often been at the centre of attacks by both religious armed groups such as Tehreek-e-Taliban (also known as Pakistan Taliban), and armed ethnic Baloch separatists fighting for independence from Pakistan.

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Last month, three men from the separatist Baloch Liberation Army stormed the Chinese embassy in Pakistan's southern metropolis of Karachi, killing two policemen.

They were shot and killed by police before they could enter the complex with a car packed with explosives.

Despite its rich mineral and natural gas reserves, Balochistan remains Pakistan's poorest province and is the site of a long-running rebellion by separatists who argue the state is taking over their lands.

The separatists have also targeted Chinese-funded projects in the region.

In July, a suicide bomber detonated in the middle of a crowded election rally in the province, killing 128 people, including electoral candidate Siraj Raisani.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) claimed responsibility for the blast.</s>At least six Frontier Corps personnel killed, 14 others wounded in assault claimed by Baloch Liberation Army

At least six paramilitary troops were killed on Friday when their convoy came under attack by unidentified gunmen in Balochistan province, officials said.

The incident took place in the far-flung mountainous Kech district where soldiers from the paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) were on a routine patrol.

“Six FC men embraced martyrdom while 14 others were wounded in the gun attack,” said Zahoor Buledi, provincial information minister.

A senior official from the FC confirmed the attack and told AFP that a search operation has been launched in the area.

A spokesman for the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant group, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Mineral-rich Balochistan province borders Afghanistan and Iran and is home to ethnic, Islamist and political insurgencies. China is investing in the area under a $54-billion project known as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), upgrading infrastructure, power and transport links between its far-western Xinjiang region and Pakistan’s Gwadar port.

Thousands of paramilitary troops are deployed in troubled areas of the country to carry out security checks and to help police in maintaining law and order.

Violence in Pakistan has dropped significantly since the country’s deadliest-ever militant attack, an assault on a school in Peshawar in 2014 that killed more than 150 people, most of them children.</s>At least six paramilitary troops were killed in southwestern Pakistan on December 14 when their convoy came under attack in a mountainous area near the border with Iran in the southwestern province of Balochistan, officials said.

Balochistan has been the theater of several attacks on security personnel recently, but the number of large-scale incidents has decreased significantly since 2016.

Six members of the Frontier Corps (FC) paramilitary force in charge of security in the region were killed in "heavy" firing along a mountainous stretch of road in the Kech district, the province's information minister, Zahoor Ahmed Buledi, said.

"Six FC men embraced martyrdom while 14 others were wounded in the gun attack," Buledi said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Islamist militants linked to the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, and Islamic State have been operating in the mineral-rich province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan. An indigenous ethnic Baloch insurgency is under way against the central government.

Last month, three men from the separatist Baloch Liberation Army stormed the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan's southern metropolis of Karachi, killing four people, including two police officers.

China is investing in the area under a $54 billion project known as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which aims at upgrading infrastructure, power, and transport links between its western Xinjiang region and Pakistan's Gwadar port.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP</s>QUETTA, Pakistan: Six security officials were killed in an attack in southwestern Pakistan on Friday when their convoy came under heavy firing in a mountainous area near the border with Iran.

Pakistan's restive Baluchistan province has been hit by a number of attacks on security personnel but the number of large scale incidents has decreased significantly since 2016.

The province's information minister Zahoor Ahmed Buledi told Reuters that six members of the Frontier Corps paramilitary force in charge of security in the region were killed in "heavy" firing along a mountainous stretch of road in the Kech district.

Fourteen others were wounded. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Islamist militants linked to the Taliban, al Qaeda and Islamic State have been operating in the province, which borders Iran as well as Afghanistan. It also has an indigenous ethnic Baluch insurgency fighting the central government.

Last month, three men from the separatist Baloch Liberation Army stormed the Chinese embassy in Pakistan's southern metropolis Karachi, killing four people including two policemen.

They were shot and killed by police before they could force their way in in a car packed with explosives.

Baluchistan, which has rich mineral and natural gas reserves but remains Pakistan’s poorest province, is the site of a long-running rebellion by separatists who argue the state is taking over their lands and have targeted Chinese-funded projects.

In July, a suicide bomber detonated in the middle of a crowded election rally in the province, killing 128 people including electoral candidate Siraj Raisani. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the blast.</s>ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday set up a two-member commission on water pollution in Balochistan, which will provide an initial report in 2 weeks.



A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar also directed authorities to install the water purification plant within a month in Bhagnari Bolan.

The chief justice remarked that the Balochistan government should saw the video of a runway on which donkeys and people are watering from same place.

He said people are drinking poison instead of water, the matter is serious, if I have to call the chief minister Balochistan or whole cabinet then I will, he added.

The video of a dirty water pool in Bolan Bhagari was played in Supreme Court's Room Court No. 1.

Chief Justice Saqib Nisar asked the Additional Advocate General Balochistan that the government should see Balochistan that what kind of water available to people, who are your masters? Why did not the Chief Secretary come? Chief Minister Balochistan, if visited there then could see the actual condition of the province.

Meanwhile, member National Assembly Shah Zain Bhugti thanked the Chief Justice for taking notice of the matter.

The CJ addressing Deputy Commissioner, Bolan said that you are watering poisonous water to people.

You put 1200 million rupees in non-developmental activities, at least you people should have installed one water purification plants in the area, Justice Nisar added.

He said that drinking water is not just the problem of people living there but whole Balochistan, will not let anyone to escape, I will call CM Balochistan, if I had to call all the cabinets, I would call.

Subsequently, the court constituted a commission comprising, Amanullah Kanrani, President of Supreme Court Bar Association and Engineer Osman Babai and ordered them to make suggestions to resolve the water problem in Balochistan, moreover Irrigation and other departments will provide full support to the commission, court ruled.</s>At least six security personnel were killed during an anti-terror operation in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province.

The terrorists had launched a bomb attack on a police vehicle in Turbat district, near the Iran border, while a raid was underway in a hideout.</s>Supreme Court has constituted a two member commission to finalize and submit a report on water scarcity in Balochistan within two weeks.

The order was passed in Islamabad on Friday by a three-member bench of Apex court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar while hearing a case about non-availability of drinking water in Bolan area of Balochistan.

The Commission will be headed by President Supreme Court Bar Association Amanullah Kanrani and Engineer Usman Maimai will be its member.</s>QUETTA, Pakistan — Pakistan’s military says a roadside bomb targeting security forces has killed six troops and wounded several others in the town of Buleda in Baluchistan province.

In a statement Friday, the military says it also killed four “terrorists” after coming under attack during a raid on a militant hideout in the southwestern province. It provided no further details and did not identify the slain.

Ethnic separatists have been waging a low-level insurgency in Baluchistan, where Pakistani and foreign militants also carry out attacks against security forces.

Although Pakistan’s government claims it has quelled the Baluch separatists’ insurgency, violence has persisted in the province.</s>US pressurising Pakistan to do more: Rabbani

KARACHI: The former Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani criticized the United States for pressuring Pakistan to ‘do more’ despite the country had suffered grave losses in terms of economic and human losses. Rabbani was speaking at the distinguished lecture series during the The Festival of Arts and Ideas, organized by Sindh Madressatul Islam University (SMIU) on Friday.

He said America had never protected the interests of Pakistan; instead they had always been concerned about their own interests. “Once their interests are fully served, they show no qualms and leave us in the lurch,” said Mr. Rabbani. He criticized United States for putting Pakistan in the blacklist of religious freedom.

Rabbani said United States wanted to make India as the regional policeman because it considered India as its strategic partner; however, such American design was not acceptable to Pakistan. He said Pakistan is a sovereign country and would accept anything that was agreed upon on equal terms.

He said the mindset of Indian establishment is rigid and narrow, as it has sabotaged every good move from Pakistan. He referred to recent opening of Kartarpur route, which was a good gesture offered by Pakistan, yet, Indian foreign minister refused to attend the ceremony. He said India is involved in state-sponsored terrorism in Balochistan and elsewhere in Pakistan. He added the worst violations of human rights are being committed in Indian-occupied Kashmir where all international laws and norms were being broken up and the rest of the world was silent. He asked where was the conscience of the West on those violations in Kashmir where children, women and men are being killed and exposed to pellet guns. He said the Muslims in India are being attacked and killed on the pretext of eating beef.

Rabbani said the ban on student unions divided students depriving them of the gift of critical thinking; due to lack of academic freedom .He said the Senate had passed a resolution demanding lifting of ban on students union, but no action was taken.

Prof Zeliha Kocak Tufan, a member of Turkish Council of Higher Education discussed issues relating to higher education of her country. She said a total of 206 institutions offering higher education in which 140,000 students from various countries are admitted in the universities at Ankara and Istanbul. They included 1,822 students from Pakistan. She referred to an exchange programme under which 256 students and 171 faculty members were affiliated with Turkish universities.

A panel discussion was held on leadership strategies for Pakistani business. Dr Muhammad Ali Shaikh said Pakistan and Turkey have close friendly relations that are being strengthened day by day. He said SMIU has also a close association with Turkey because the Sultan of Turkey had given the title of `Effendi` to Hassanally, founder of SMI.

Earlier, SMIU vice chancellor Dr. Muhammad Ali Shaikh presented shield to the guest speakers afterwards. An impressive show celebrated the life of author Muhammad Ibrahim Joyo. The students also presented the poetry of Sufi poets Rumi and Iqbal.</s>QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan said on Wednesday that CM’s Inception Team had identified over 600 development schemes which were found only on papers and did not exist anywhere in the province.

Speaking at a ceremony organised by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Balochistan, to hand over looted money recovered by NAB from corrupt government officials, the chief minister said that these development schemes had been prepared by the previous government.

The Director General of NAB, Balochistan, Muhammad Abid Javed, handed over a cheque for Rs600 million to the chief minister, recovered by NAB from different corrupt government officials.

The chief minister said the present government had already announced zero tolerance for corruption and corrupt elements.

“The future of millions of people of Balochistan is linked with our policies,” he said, adding that lack of sincerity in rooting out corruption by previous governments had multiplied problems of the masses and retarded the development of the province.

“There should be no further space for corruption in the province,” Mr Khan said.

“Our religion teaches us self-accountability and zero tolerance for corruption and without following teachings of our holy religion against corruption, we will continue to sink into the sludge of corruption which is the root cause of all evils the country and the province are facing at present,” he said.

Referring to financial crisis the Balochistan government was now facing, Mr Khan said that pensioners’ bill of the provincial government had gone up to Rs21 billion while the total revenue of the province was Rs15bn.

He said the Balochistan government needed $3bn to steer the province out of the financial woes.

He stressed the need for utilising existing resources and regretted that despite having precious mineral, oil, gas and other natural resources, leaders of the country had been forced to visit other countries to seek loans and that was very embarrassing situation for the entire country”.

Speaking on the occasion, NAB’s DG of Balochistan Muhammad Abid Javed held out an assurance to the provincial government that the bureau would not repeat the practice of sending letters to halt development funds of lawmakers and vowed to continue its efforts to recover government’s looted money from corrupt elements and deposit it in the government’s exchequer.
Six government officials are killed and 14 others are wounded in an attack in Balochistan, Pakistan. The BLA claims responsibility.