Pakistan uses paramilitary troops in an effort to help maintain law and order in the remote areas of Balochistan. —AP/File photo

QUETTA: Gunmen stormed a checkpost before dawn on Thursday, killing six soldiers, snatching their weapons and escaping in Balochistan province, officials said.

Up to a dozen Baloch rebels attacked the paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) post in the district of Dera Bugti, about 400 kilometres (250 miles) southeast of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan that borders Afghanistan and Iran.

“The attackers came before dawn and opened fire on the soldiers after encircling the checkpost. All six soldiers were killed on the spot,” a senior security official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Another security official confirmed the attack and said that about a dozen gunmen were involved in the attack.

“They came on motorcycles and took away all the weapons after killing all the six FC men,” he said.

Pakistan uses paramilitary troops in an effort to help maintain law and order in the remote areas of Balochistan.

Both officials blamed Thursday's attack on Baloch rebels.

Opinion

Editorial

Sustainable path?
13 Jun, 2026

Sustainable path?

THE FY27 budget is the first clear signal that the government is ready to transition from stabilisation to growth ...
Prioritising education
13 Jun, 2026

Prioritising education

THOUGH the improvement in the country’s literacy rate may be slight, as highlighted by the Economic Survey, it ...
Poverty’s rise
13 Jun, 2026

Poverty’s rise

AS attention turns to the government’s plans for the coming fiscal year, one set of figures deserves particular...
A difficult story
Updated 12 Jun, 2026

A difficult story

Unless productivity becomes the dominant target of economic policy, Pakistan will continue to oscillate between crises and fragile recovery.
Rough waters
12 Jun, 2026

Rough waters

AMONGST the key potential triggers for fresh conflict in South Asia is water. The Indian state is behaving in an...
Politicised football
12 Jun, 2026

Politicised football

ALMOST three-and-half years since Lionel Messi led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory, the latest edition of...