Security Concerns disrupt Internet, Train Services across Balochistan

QUETTA — Balochistan remained partially cut off from Pakistan as mobile phone internet services stayed suspended for second consecutive day, while train operations between Quetta and other provinces were halted for two days amid reported security concerns.

Mobile internet services were suspended in Quetta and several other parts of Balochistan from yesterday afternoon and remained unavailable today, leaving users facing difficulties in accessing online services and communicating through mobile data.

The government has yet to publicly disclose specific reason for latest internet shutdown. However, a similar suspension across Quetta and other parts of the province last Sunday was attributed to security concerns by Provincial Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langau.

The disruption has now been compounded by the suspension of railway services connecting Quetta with the rest of Pakistan.

A railway official said the decision to suspend train operations was taken for security reasons. The official confirmed that the Jaffar Express could not depart from Quetta today, while its arrival and departure will also remain suspended on August 15.

The disruption of mobile internet connectivity and rail links has affected two key channels connecting Balochistan’s residents with the rest of the country, with the authorities yet to provide a detailed public explanation for the latest restrictions.

The developments come amid heightened security concerns in the province, though officials have not publicly specified the nature of the threat prompting the measures.

Balochistan witnessed escalation in militant violence during July and August 2026, as several attacks targeted security forces, civilians and infrastructure across the province.

Major incidents included attack on a security checkpoint in Ziarat, where nine policemen were reported killed, an assault on an army convoy in the Bela-Winder area that left 11 soldiers dead, and an attack in Hanna Urak on the outskirts of Quetta in which four civilians were killed.

Balochistan recorded 176 militant attacks during July, showing scale of the deteriorating security situation. Violence continued at the end of the month, including an attack in which six workers were reportedly killed.

In August, security forces reported killing 10 militants during an operation, while a car bomb in Surab district exploded prematurely, killing three civilians and eight alleged militants who were reportedly preparing the explosives, with two soldiers also wounded.

Today, Balochistan Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove survived an armed attack on his convoy in Mastung, although six people, including three police officers, were reportedly injured. The continuing attacks have heightened concerns over security in the province, particularly around major infrastructure projects.