Overview

• Officials said a suicide explosion struck a Balochistan National Party gathering in Quetta’s stadium parking area, killing at least 11 and injuring dozens after the rally concluded.
• BNP chief Akhtar Mengal was present but unharmed, and police said initial evidence points to a suicide bombing, with no group claiming responsibility so far.
• Separately in Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a suicide car bomb breached the Federal Constabulary compound, triggering a prolonged gunfight that left six soldiers dead.
• Local authorities reported at least five militants killed in the Bannu operation, police casualties, and a cordon with large-scale combing underway; Ittehad‑ul‑Mujahideen Pakistan told AFP it carried out the attack.
• AFP also reported five paramilitary personnel killed by a roadside bomb in Balochistan near the Iranian border, as think‑tank data showed a 74% month‑on‑month surge in militant attacks in August.