QUETTA – In a brazen attack on Saturday, armed assailants intercepted a prison transport vehicle near Mangocher on the Quetta-Karachi highway, freeing 10 inmates and taking five police officials hostage.
According to officials, the prisoners were being transported from Gadani Jail to Quetta and Mach Central Jail for court hearings, using a privately hired van. The attackers, who had set up a roadblock on the national highway in the Mangocher area of Kalat district, were inspecting passing vehicles when they stopped the prison van in the late evening hours.
The assailants released the prisoners and abducted five on-duty police personnel along with their official weapons. Two officers in plain clothes managed to avoid capture. The driver of the private van and the vehicle itself were released unharmed.
Among the escaped inmates is one condemned prisoner sentenced to death, and another serving a life sentence—both convicted in cases involving the murder of their wives. The remaining prisoners were reportedly facing drug smuggling charges and were scheduled to appear in court on May 5 in Quetta.
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Security forces have launched a search and rescue operation in the rugged terrain of Mangocher and nearby areas to recover the kidnapped personnel. As of now, no group has claimed responsibility for the ambush.
Balochistan faces other security challenges from various militant groups, including those with links to drug smuggling and organized crime. The province’s location on the border with Afghanistan and its proximity to Iran has made it a hotspot for illicit activities such as drug trafficking, smuggling, and weapons proliferation. These operations often fund and fuel further violence and insurgency in the region.
The Pakistani government has taken steps to combat these challenges, increasing military presence and intelligence operations. However, the response to insurgency and militant attacks in Balochistan remains complicated, as local political dynamics and historical grievances often hinder progress in resolving these issues. The federal government has also been working to engage with local Baloch leaders to address political concerns and improve governance, particularly in areas like health, education, and economic development.
In response to the growing security threats, authorities have ramped up operations to find and arrest the militants responsible for incidents like the recent Kalat attack.
