20 Police Abducted In Pakistan's Balochistan Police Post Demolished

(MENAFN- Khaama Press) At least 20 police trainees have been abducted by unidentified armed men in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province while travelling on leave, a senior government official said, as a separate incident saw an abandoned police post demolished in Qila Abdullah district.

The trainees were travelling in a private passenger van from Kalat towards Nushki when armed men intercepted them along the Sarband route, a shorter road connecting the districts, according to officials cited in local media reports. The personnel belong to Washuk, Chagai, Kharan and Nushki districts in the Rakhshan division and were receiving training at the police recruitment centre in Kalat.

The armed men reportedly took the trainees away and moved them towards Mastung district before transferring them to an undisclosed location. The van's driver and two or three other passengers were released, while the trainees remained missing. Authorities said efforts were underway to locate and recover them. No group had claimed responsibility at the time of reporting.

In a separate incident, unidentified armed men demolished an unoccupied police post in the Pankai area of Qila Abdullah district. A police official in Quetta said police and security forces launched an operation after receiving information about the attack. The assailants reportedly fled towards Panjpai. Authorities have not released details of any casualties or arrests linked to the incident.

The abduction comes amid a series of kidnappings involving government officials and security personnel in Balochistan have also documented recent abductions of local officials in the province, adding to concerns over the security of people travelling on roads connecting remote districts. The identities of those responsible for the latest abduction remain unclear.

Balochistan has faced a long-running insurgency involving separatist militant groups, including the Balochistan Liberation Army, which seeks independence for the province and has claimed attacks against Pakistani security forces and state infrastructure. However, no evidence has yet been made public linking a specific group to the abduction of the 20 trainees.

The province is rich in natural resources but remains among Pakistan's less-developed regions. Long-standing grievances over resource distribution, political representation and alleged enforced disappearances have contributed to tensions between the state and sections of the Baloch population. The latest incidents underscore continuing security challenges in the province.

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