Nine Policemen Martyred in Ziarat Terror Attack

At least nine policemen, including two station house officers, were martyred on Tuesday in a terrorist attack on a police post in Ziarat district, Balochistan, in one of the most serious security incidents reported from the province today. Officials said the assault took place in the Mangi Dam area, prompting an urgent security response and a search operation for missing personnel.

Ziarat Deputy Commissioner Abdul Qudoos Achakzai confirmed that the attack was an act of terrorism and said the slain personnel included senior police officers posted in the area. The attack immediately triggered alarm across the district because five policemen were initially reported missing after the assault, raising fears that the attackers may have fled with hostages or that personnel had been cut off during the violence.

Additional police and security reinforcements were dispatched to the affected location as authorities moved to secure the surrounding area. Officials said an operation was launched to trace the missing policemen and ensure that the attackers could not use the mountainous terrain around Ziarat to escape or regroup.

Balochistan Chief Minister’s aide for media and political affairs, Shahid Rind, also confirmed the casualties and said the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan-linked network described by the state as Fitna al Khawarij was behind the attack. He identified the martyrs as including the SHOs of Mangi and Kawas police stations, along with Anti-Terrorist Force In-charge Head Constable Saifullah.

Rind said the bodies of the slain policemen were being moved to the District Headquarters Hospital for legal and medico-legal procedures. He added that a joint clearance operation had been completed, while stressing that the provincial government would continue operations against terrorist groups until the threat was eliminated.

The attack comes at a sensitive time for Balochistan, where police and other security installations have faced repeated militant threats in recent months. Last month, unidentified armed men attacked police installations in Qila Abdullah, Pishin and Duki districts, killing one policeman and injuring two others, while a police head constable was killed in April during an attack on a checkpost in Pishin’s Huramzai area.

The Ziarat assault is especially significant because the district is generally known for tourism, mountainous terrain and strategic routes rather than daily high-intensity violence. A deadly attack on a police post in such an area can create fear among local residents, disrupt movement and force authorities to expand security checks beyond traditionally vulnerable zones.

Pakistan has been facing a renewed terrorism challenge, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where militants have targeted police posts, checkposts and government-linked infrastructure. Although recent data cited by security monitors suggested that Balochistan saw a decline in attacks in June compared with May, officials have warned that high-profile assaults continue to pose a serious threat.

The immediate impact will be felt by police families, local communities and the provincial security apparatus, which now faces pressure to recover any missing personnel, identify the attackers and strengthen protection for exposed police posts. The next phase will depend on the outcome of the security operation, official casualty verification and whether further arrests or retaliatory action are announced by provincial authorities.