Pakistan’s drone strike on civilians in Quetta triggers fury, internet blackout across Balochistan
At least nine civilians were critically injured in a drone strike on Wednesday in the Chiltan Mountain range near Quetta, sparking outrage and renewed debate over Pakistan’s military operations in Balochistan.
Though the strike occurred on Wednesday, reports emerged only later due to restricted access to the site and a communication blackout. According to local sources, security forces cordoned off the area immediately after the explosions, preventing journalists and emergency workers from reaching the scene. The provincial administration also suspended mobile and internet services across Quetta, delaying eyewitness accounts and verification of civilian casualties.
The drone struck the Hazarganji-Chiltan National Park, a popular picnic destination on Quetta’s outskirts. Eyewitnesses said dozens of families were present when multiple explosions tore through the area, triggering chaos and panic.
“There were many civilians enjoying their day when the drone suddenly hit,” a local resident said, adding that people fled in fear as blasts echoed across the mountains. Witnesses also pointed out that a Frontier Corps checkpoint was located nearby, questioning how such an operation could take place in a civilian zone.
Doctors at a Quetta hospital confirmed that nine men sustained severe shrapnel wounds. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s military media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), described the strike as an “intelligence-based operation,” claiming that fourteen “terrorists were sent to hell.”
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti hailed the action as a “major counter-terrorism success.”
However, residents and human-rights groups strongly disputed the military’s narrative, alleging that the attack was a “misfire” that struck unarmed civilians instead of militants. Activists in Quetta demanded an independent investigation and accountability from the authorities, warning against the rising civilian toll in counter-terrorism operations.
Following public outrage and the circulation of images of the injured on social media, the provincial government imposed an internet shutdown across Quetta. Rights defenders condemned the move, calling it “collective punishment” and evidence of Islamabad’s disregard for civil liberties and access to information.
Rising* *v* *iolence* *a* *cross Balochistan
The latest drone strike comes amid a sharp escalation of militant violence and counter-terror operations across Balochistan.
• In February 2025, terrorism-related deaths in Pakistan surged by 73 % compared to the previous month. Balochistan alone accounted for 62 % of all fatalities, with around 75 deaths out of 121 nationwide.
• Throughout 2023, the province witnessed 170 militant attacks-up from 103 in 2022-resulting in 286 deaths and nearly 300 injuries.
• In 2024, fatalities in Balochistan rose further to 774 across 250 incidents, including 273 civilians, 315 security personnel, and 186 militants - a 64 % year-on-year increase.
• Security analysts note that in early 2024, about 92 % of all violence-linked fatalities in Pakistan occurred in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa combined, underscoring the province’s growing volatility.
The ongoing unrest has made Balochistan a flashpoint of Pakistan’s insurgency, where civilians, security forces, and militants alike continue to bear heavy losses amid recurring military operations and separatist attacks.