Pakistan's security forces put on high alert ahead of I-Day

Karachi, Aug 13 (PTI) Pakistan’s security forces were put on high alert nationwide for the Independence Day celebrations on Wednesday after separatist groups in the restive Balochistan province threatened to disrupt the celebrations with terror attacks.

The threats came after Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry last week said that the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), an ethnic Baloch rights group, and its leadership is “a proxy of terrorist organisations and criminal mafias”.

Human Rights Activist Mahrang Baloch, who leads the BYC, claims it is a human rights advocacy group which has been established to fight for the rights of ethnic Baloch people and to highlight issues of missing persons and other problems in the province.

Only last week, the BYC agreed to call off a sit-in protest after negotiations with the government following days of clashes in Gwadar and other districts of Balochistan.

According to details, the security forces were put on high alert because of concerns about attacks by Islamist militant groups. Security has been increased around vital installations, government buildings, police and military facilities, financial institutions, major hotels and markets.

The government has declared a public holiday on August 14 but separatist groups in Balochistan have threatened to disrupt the celebrations and commemorative events on the day.

On Tuesday, a blast in the crowded Liaquat Bazar area of Quetta killed one person and left at least six injured.

Two days ago, Deputy Commissioner of Panjgur Zakir Baloch was killed in a terrorist attack in the Kadkucha area of Mastung.

According to security sources, the overall threat from not only separatist groups but also Islamist militant groups, chiefly the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) remains high. PTI CORR AMS ZH AMS