Suspected militants launched deadly hand grenade attacks on a house and a store selling Pakistani flags in Baluchistan, claiming three lives and injuring six ahead of Pakistan’s 77th Independence Day. The Baluch Liberation Army took responsibility for the assaults in Quetta, warning against celebrating the national holiday and selling flags.
Gen. Asim Munir of the Pakistani army vowed to combat militancy in a televised address on the eve of Independence Day, urging cooperation with Afghanistan against the Pakistani Taliban operating from Afghan territory. The group, active in Baluchistan, intensifies violence in the region, fueling a longstanding insurgency alongside Afghanistan.