Quetta, Pakistan (Agencies) August 17, 2025 — In a dramatic counterterrorism breakthrough, Pakistani security agencies have arrested Dr. Usman Qazi, a lecturer at the Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS), for allegedly masterminding a major Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) terror plot backed by Indian intelligence operatives.
The arrest took place in the early hours of August 11, when Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel raided a residence in Afnan Town, Quetta. Dr. Qazi was reportedly found wearing a suicide bomber jacket, indicating his direct operational role in the planned Independence Day attacks. His younger brother, Jibran Ahmed, an MPhil Economics student, was also detained during the operation.
Following his arrest, Dr. Qazi confessed to orchestrating the 2024 railway station bombing, training dozens of suicide bombers, and maintaining covert communication with Indian shadow authorities. Intelligence sources revealed that his recruitment and coordination were facilitated through encrypted channels and prison-based radicalization networks.
Based on information extracted during interrogation, Pakistani authorities uncovered a network of 32 suicide bombers and seized four VBIEDs/IEDs poised for deployment in multiple urban centers. The foiled plot was reportedly designed to trigger mass casualties and destabilize national celebrations on August 14, Pakistan’s Independence Day.
Security officials have described the operation as one of the most significant counterterrorism successes in recent years. “This arrest has dismantled a deeply embedded terror cell with transnational links,” said a senior CTD officer. “The evidence points to a sophisticated network of recruitment, training, and logistical support originating from across the border.”
The case has sparked renewed diplomatic tensions between Pakistan and India, with Islamabad expected to raise the matter at international forums. The involvement of an academic figure has also alarmed civil society and human rights groups, some of which have called for transparency in the investigation process.
Meanwhile, Pakistani intelligence agencies are conducting follow-up operations to trace additional operatives and secure high-risk zones. The discovery of advanced explosive devices and trained personnel has prompted heightened security alerts in Balochistan and other sensitive regions.
The arrest of Dr. Usman Qazi underscores the evolving nature of hybrid warfare and the critical role of intelligence-led policing in countering foreign-sponsored terrorism.