Gwadar police dismisses 14 after militants loot station armoury

Karachi,UPDATED: Jun 29, 2026 13:54 IST

Pakistan's Balochistan province has dismissed 14 police personnel after an inquiry found that they did not resist when suspected militants stormed a police station in Gwadar and took away a large cache of arms and ammunition, authorities said on Monday. The action comes amid growing scrutiny of policing and security arrangements in the violence-hit province, where insurgent groups frequently target security personnel, government installations and Chinese interests.

Gwadar, a focal point of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, has seen repeated attacks in recent years by separatist groups. Militants have carried out suicide bombings and coordinated assaults targeting Chinese nationals, security personnel and government installations in and around the port city, while other parts of Balochistan have also seen a series of recent attacks.

Gwadar Superintendent of Police (Security) Abdul Waheed, who headed the inquiry committee, said the 14 officials, including sub-inspectors, were dismissed for gross negligence, corruption, violation of security protocols and irresponsible conduct while on duty.

According to Waheed, the attack took place on the night of June 7, when unidentified armed men overpowered the personnel deployed at the police station, "looted official weapons, ammunition and other government equipment, and fled without facing any resistance".

He said a significant quantity of arms, ammunition and official property was taken away from the police station, which is the main police station in Gwadar.

Balochistan, Pakistan's largest but least developed province, has witnessed a decades-long insurgency led by separatist groups such as the Balochistan Liberation Army and the Baloch Liberation Front, which accuse Islamabad of exploiting the province's rich natural resources while denying locals a fair share of the benefits.

On Saturday, a prominent trader and hotel owner was shot dead in broad daylight near the Kuchlak Bypass in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan. In a separate incident the same day, four policemen were injured when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle in Mastung district, adjacent to Quetta.

Police said unidentified assailants had planted an improvised explosive device along the Mian Ghandi Link Road near Pir Wali. The blast took place as a police vehicle transporting prisoners from Dasht court to Mastung jail passed through the area, partially damaging the vehicle.

In May, at least 24 people were killed and 50 others injured when a powerful explosion ripped through a shuttle train in Quetta. The Balochistan Liberation Army had claimed responsibility for the blast.

In March, BLA militants hijacked the Jaffar Express train in Balochistan, triggering a major security operation. On March 11, 2025, the Jaffar Express was hijacked while travelling from Quetta to Peshawar in the Bolan area, resulting in the deaths of over 30 passengers and security personnel and the holding hostage of over 350 passengers. Security forces, in a targeted operation, killed 33 terrorists involved in the attack on the train.

In November 2024, at least 32 people were killed and scores were injured when a suicide bomber hit the Quetta Cantt Railway Station. The dismissal of the 14 policemen in Gwadar follows the June 7 station attack and comes against the backdrop of continuing militant violence across Balochistan.

With PTI Inputs

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