Top Baloch leader, workers escape unhurt as suicide bomber blows himself up near sit-in protest site in Pakistan

A top Baloch nationalist leader and other workers in his party escaped unhurt when a suicide bomber blew himself up near their sit-in protest rally in Balochistan province of Pakistan on Saturday (March 29, 2025).

Sardar Akhtar Mengal has been leading a long march from Wadh to Quetta since Friday (March 28, 2025) to protest the arrests of the leaders and workers of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), whose chief, Dr. Mahrang Baloch was arrested under anti-terrorism laws.

The suicide bomber blew himself up near their sit-in protest rally near Lucky Pass in Mastung, about 50 kilometre south of Quetta, in Balochistan province but Mengal and others escaped unhurt.

Mastung Assistant Commissioner (AC) Akram Harifal told the media that Levies personnel had spotted a suspicious individual near the rally and when they went to question him, he tried to escape but blew himself up.

“The participants of the protest by the Balochistan National Party (BNP) are unhurt and okay,” he said.

Mahrang Baloch and other BYC members, all arrested earlier this month from Quetta from a sit-in, have been in the forefront of holding protest rallies for missing persons and alleged injustices in Balochistan.

Harifal said since the government had granted permission for the BNP long march, it was providing security and investigations are being held into the presence of the suicide bomber near the rally.