Balochistan [Pakistan], March 30 (ANI): The Balochistan government has imposed a night-time travel ban on major highways in several districts, primarily affecting public transport, in response to rising security concerns, Dawn reported.

The move follows an increase in terrorist attacks targeting passengers across the province, with multiple deadly incidents reported this year.

Authorities in Gwadar, Kachhi, Zhob, Noshki, and Musakhel districts have issued official notifications restricting travel during nighttime hours. Similarly, the Quetta administration has directed that public transport departing from the city will not be allowed to operate at night.

Quetta Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat, after chairing a meeting on the issue, stated, 'It was decided that public transport would be prohibited from travelling on the Karachi-Quetta highway (N-25), also known as the RCD Highway, at night, disconnecting Balochistan from Sindh.' Officials have also emphasised that transport schedules should be adjusted to prevent delays, ensuring timely departures and arrivals.

'Trackers and CCTV cameras in all buses and coaches would be kept functional, while transporters have been told to cooperate with the government directives,' Shafqaat added.

The travel restrictions apply to multiple highways, with specific timing regulations. In a notification issued on March 28, Gwadar Deputy Commissioner (DC) Hamoodur Rehman announced that public transport on the Makran Coastal Highway (N-10) would be barred from night-time operations until further notice. The order, aimed at passenger safety, also sets designated departure windows for buses traveling between Karachi, Gwadar, and Quetta, ensuring that they reach their destinations before nightfall.

Similarly, Kachhi DC Jahanzaib Langove's notification prohibits all public and private transport from traveling on the Quetta-Sukkur highway (N-65) between 5pm and 5am. This restriction effectively cuts off night-time travel between Balochistan and Sindh. Vehicles attempting to travel within restricted hours will be stopped at checkpoints--those heading from Sibi to Quetta will be halted at the Nari River bank in Sibi, while those traveling in the opposite direction will be stopped at Kolpur.

In Zhob, DC Mehboob Ahmad issued an order preventing public buses and coaches from traveling through the district on the N-50 National Highway, which connects Quetta to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Dera Ismail Khan, between 6pm and 6am. The ban has been in effect since March 27 and will remain until further directives, reported Dawn.

Further restrictions have been placed on other major highways. Noshki DC Amjad Soomro and Musakhel DC Juma Dad Mandokhail have barred night-time travel on the Quetta-Taftan (N-40) and Multan-Loralai (N-70) highways, respectively, with operational hours limited to 6am to 6pm.

According to Balochistan government spokesman Shahid Rind, 'National highways have been closed 76 times for various reasons since January 1.'

The heightened security measures come amid escalating militant violence in the region. The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has been identified as a key actor in recent terrorist incidents. Just recently, armed men blocked the Coastal Highway in Gwadar, forcefully removed six passengers from a Karachi-bound bus, and killed them--all of whom were from Punjab.

Earlier this month, the Jaffar Express train was hijacked, resulting in the deaths of 26 hostages, including 18 security personnel. Five more security personnel were killed during the rescue operation.

February saw another attack where militants stopped vehicles on the Quetta-Sukkur highway (N-65) in Bolan, seizing weapons from the security team of Balochistan Parliamentary Secretary Mir Liaquat Ali Lehri. In the same month, seven Punjab-bound passengers were forcibly taken from a bus and executed in Balochistan's Barkhan district, Dawn reported.

The violence follows a pattern of similar attacks in recent years. In August 2023, militants carried out coordinated assaults across Balochistan, killing 23 travelers who were taken from buses and trucks in Musakhel district. In April 2024, another attack occurred when gunmen ambushed the Quetta-Taftan Highway (N-40) near Noshki, where nine passengers were removed from a bus and executed. (ANI)