Balochistan: Mining Nightmare
On the evening of April 22, at least 10 people, including a Turkish national, were killed while several others sustained injuries in an attack at a copper and gold project site in Darigwan area of Chagai District in Balochistan. Around 40 gunmen, suspected to be Baloch insurgents, on motorcycles and other vehicles stormed the mining project site of the Pakistani company, National Resources Private Limited (NRL), in the Darigwan area. “The attack left ten people dead, including seven workers and three security personnel,” a local administration official stated, “There are unconfirmed reports that militants also took some employees hostage.” Hospital authorities confirmed that the victims hailed from various regions, including Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), as well as the local area. One of the deceased was identified as Omer, a Turkish national. Security Forces (SFs), including the Frontier Corps (FC), launched a clearance and search operation immediately following the attack. However, the insurgents managed to escape.
NRL, a Pakistani mining firm established as a joint venture between Lucky Cement, Fatima Fertilizer, and Liberty Mills Limited, is currently engaged in the exploration of copper-gold and lead-zinc reserves in the Chagai District and has reported substantial mineral discoveries in the region.
Although no group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far, Baloch insurgent groups, especially Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) and Baloch Republican Guards (BRG) have a well-established history of targeting mining projects and related infrastructure in the province. Such attacks serve three key objectives for Baloch insurgent groups: first, they are intended to inflict economic damage on the Federal Government, which the insurgents accuse of exploiting Balochistan’s vast mineral resources – particularly copper, gold, and gas – without ensuring equitable compensation or meaningful development for the local population; second, attacks targeting projects with international linkages – such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and foreign companies like Barrick Gold – are aimed at deterring foreign investment and increasing pressure on the State; third, insurgents frequently target workers brought in from other provinces, such as Punjab and Sindh, whom they perceive as “outsiders” who are seen to undermine the employment opportunities and livelihoods of the local Baloch population.
The longstanding opposition of Baloch insurgent groups to the employment of non-Baloch workers and outsiders is reflected in NRL’s official statement, which sought to clarify the company’s position on safeguarding Baloch interests. In a statement, the NRL said it remained “fully committed to the development and empowerment of local communities in Balochistan, with a strong focus on improving livelihoods and contributing to economic upliftment”. “Over 90 per cent of the workforce at the Darigwan site comprises individuals from Balochistan,” the firm claimed. The company’s clarification appears to have been driven largely by security concerns and is unlikely to placate the anger of Baloch insurgent groups.
Balochistan has long been a battle ground between Pakistan security establishment and Baloch insurgent groups over the exploitation of provincial mineral resources. Some of the recent major attacks on mining projects and related infrastructure in Balochistan include:
On April 23, 2026, a mining company engaged in oil and gas exploration was attacked in the Hanna Orak area of Quetta. Heavy machinery was set on fire and destroyed by unidentified gunmen. However, no casualties were reported in the incident.
On January 31, 2026, BLA cadres launched coordinated attacks across the province, targeting critical mining sites including mineral rich areas of Reko Diq and Dalbandin in Chagai District.
On November 30, 2025, BLF cadres attacked a residential compound, housing offices and residential quarters for foreign staff linked to the Saindak and Reko Diq mining projects, in the Nokundi town of Panjgur District. SFs foiled the attack, killing six attackers, including a female suicide bomber. According to a statement issued by the BLF on December 4, the operation was conducted by its newly formed Saddo Operational Battalion (SOB). The attack began with a suicide bombing at the entrance of the Frontier Corps headquarters, followed by an armed breach into the residential zone. The group claimed its fighters held their positions against Pakistani security forces for more than 36 hours, making it one of the most prolonged and coordinated assaults in recent years. BLF claimed that its cadres killed 76 military personnel and several foreign employees during the attack.
On February 14, 2025, at least eleven coal mine workers were killed and five sustained injuries when their pickup truck was hit by a roadside explosion in the Shahrag area of Harnai District. Most of the victims were from the Swat and Shangla Districts KP. Harnai Deputy Commissioner Hazrat Wali Kakar stated that the blast occurred when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated in the PMDC 94 Coal Mines Area in Shahrag.
On October 11, 2024, at least 21 coalminers and a civil armed guard were killed and another seven were injured in an attack by unidentified armed men on a small private coal mine in Duki District. Duki District Council Chairman Khairullah Nasir, who owns the coalmine, confirmed the incident, stating that the miscreants used “hand grenades, rocket launchers and other modern weapons” in the attack. He added that the attackers also set fire to “10 coal engines and machinery”. No group had claimed responsibility for the attack.
On June 27, 2023, BLA cadres set fire to 20 trucks carrying coal from Balochistan to thermal power plants in Punjab, in Harnai District. A BLA press release declared, “freedom fighters of Baloch Liberation Army targeted convoy of Deputy Commissioner and vehicles transporting plundered Baloch national resources in Harnai last night. A suspicious individual was also arrested.”
On June 1, 2023, unidentified armed men targeted transportation, damaging 42 trucks carrying coal near a security checkpoint in the Charat area of Harnai District. The President of Balochistan Goods Transport Association, Noor Ahmed Kakar, and the General Secretary of Coal Suppliers Association, Muhammad Din Sanzarkhail, stated that unknown armed men punctured the tyres of 42 trucks carrying coal from Harnai and Duki coal fields to Punjab and other areas of the country.
Although Balochistan’s vast mineral reserves continue to draw significant global interest, escalating security risks have compelled several high-profile foreign investors to either withdraw from projects or considerably scale back their involvement. After nearly a year of negotiations to acquire a minority stake in the Reko Diq project for roughly USD 1 billion, the Saudi firm Manara Minerals reportedly pulled out of active equity discussions in late 2025. The withdrawal was largely attributed to the high-risk environment.
The Pakistan Army’s continuing struggle to secure mining projects from recurring attacks is likely to further dampen prospects of increased revenues for both the Federal Government of Pakistan and the Provincial Government of Balochistan, even as the country reels under the impact of an economic downgrade and chronic financial hardship.