Pakistan’s security forces in the southwestern province of Balochistan have arrested a university lecturer accused of plotting a foiled suicide bombing aimed at last week’s Independence Day celebrations, officials confirmed Monday.
The suspect, Dr. Usman Qazi, is a grade-18 lecturer at the Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS), a leading public-sector university in Quetta.
Authorities allege that Qazi has links with the outlawed Majeed Brigade, the suicide squad of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, during a press briefing in Quetta, told reporters that Qazi had confessed to planning the attack. However, it remains unclear whether the confession was made under duress.
Bugti said the plot specifically targeted children and civilians participating in the Aug. 14 festivities but was foiled thanks to timely intelligence and swift action by the Counter Terrorism Department.
He also linked Qazi to the November 2024 Quetta railway station suicide bombing, which killed 32 people and injured more than 50.
According to the chief minister, Qazi allegedly transported the attacker on a motorcycle, offered shelter to terrorists and provided logistical support for the operation.
Lecturer maintained contact with fighters through encrypted apps
Authorities further claim that the lecturer maintained contact with fighters through encrypted apps such as Telegram, treated injured terrorists at his home and played a role in preparing would-be bombers.
Bugti insisted that Qazi and his family were well-educated and financially secure, rejecting claims that deprivation drives extremism in the province.
The chief minister also disclosed that more than 2,000 government employees are under scrutiny for suspected links with terrorist groups.
A special cell has been established to investigate and take action - ranging from suspension to dismissal - against those found complicit.
Despite repeated government claims of progress, separatist violence continues to haunt Balochistan, emphasizing the persistence of terrorist networks.
Officials say Qazi’s arrest, described as the first capture of a senior Majeed Brigade member through intelligence operations, marks an important breakthrough in Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts.
The arrest comes just days after the United States declared both the BLA and its Majeed Brigade foreign terrorist organizations.
The group, notorious for targeting Chinese nationals and projects under the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor, has carried out some of the deadliest attacks in Balochistan in recent years.
Balochistan has long experienced violence from separatist groups, including the BLA.
The province is rich in natural resources and home to projects tied to the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor where insurgents have repeatedly targeted Chinese nationals and Pakistani security forces.