Terrorists attacked a police post guarding the Mangi Dam project in Ziarat, killing nine officers and kidnapping/killing 18 more, in an assault aimed at disrupting a critical water supply initiative for water-scarce Quetta (expected to provide 8 million gallons daily).

Balochistan CM Mir Sarfraz Bugti vowed that terrorism would not halt development, announced a judicial commission, and rejected attempts to separate Balochistan from Pakistan, while attributing the attack to TTP and calling for strong security alongside governance improvements.

The article argues that such attacks, often linked to groups like TTP and BLA (with alleged external support), aim to create fear and delay progress, but the best response is accelerating transparent development projects, improving security, and engaging youth to counter propaganda portraying infrastructure as exploitation.

The terrorist attack on the security personnel guarding Mangi Dam project was not just attack on a security post. This was an attack on water security of Quetta, development of Balochistan and on the rights of common people. The water project to supply about eight million gallons a day to the city of Quetta, which suffers from a heavy water scarcity, is the near Rs20 billion Mangi Dam and water conveyance scheme. Due to the pressure imposed on the city of provincial capital due to excessive extraction of groundwater and frequent drought, its importance has increased. The project is a supply of drinking water for families, a respite for neighbourhoods and a better future for a booming city.

That’s the reason that it’s important to have a target. In the area of Mangi Dam of Ziarat, terrorists attacked a police post that was protecting the project. The official version of events states that nine cops lost their lives in the initial attack and 18 more were........

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