Description: Pakistani authorities have stated that Islamic State terrorists conducted a suicide bomb attack on a political rally taking place in the Balochistan province. The political rally was organized by the Balochistan National Party (BNP) and was secured by more than 120 members of the country’s police forces. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack and stated that it represented a stark reminder that terrorists in the region were constantly ensuing chaos. Initial reports indicated that the suicide bomber had difficulties reaching the center of the rally due to heightened security measures, however, the large blast that followed claimed the lives of 15 people and injured a dozen more.
Impact: Pakistan’s impoverished Balochistan province remains a security flashpoint in the country, struggling to contain consistent attacks by terrorist and separatist groups. The attack follows a negative trend of escalation in terrorist activities, after the train hijacking conducted by the Balochistan Liberation Army in Mar. Similar and even more fatal and dangerous attacks are to be expected in the upcoming period, as the country’s strained security apparatus and overwhelmed emergency capacities by the deadly monsoon floods would incentivize radical organizations towards escalating violence.