2023 Mastung bombing

On 29 September 2023, a suicide bombing occurred in the Mastung District of Balochistan, Pakistan, during an Eid Milad-ul-Nabi procession commemorating the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The explosion took place near the Madina Mosque, a site affiliated with the Barelvi sect, as attendees gathered for the religious event. The blast killed at least 60 people, including children, and injured between 50 and 70 others. Among the dead was Mastung's deputy superintendent of police, Nawaz Gashkori, along with another senior police officer.

Law enforcement authorities have suggested the attack was a deliberate suicide bombing targeting the religious gathering. According to reporting, the bomber detonated the device near the vehicle of Deputy Superintendent of Police Nawaz Gashkori after Gashkori reportedly became suspicious of the attacker and attempted to stop him. Following the explosion, the area was cordoned off by law enforcement, and casualties were transported to nearby medical facilities, with an emergency declared at hospitals to manage the response.

Provincial authorities declared a state of emergency and dispatched rescue teams to the scene. Those with severe injuries were transported to Quetta for further medical treatment. Social media footage circulated showing both the aftermath of the blast and rescue efforts by emergency responders and local residents.

The bombing prompted condemnation from a range of domestic and international figures. Pakistani Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar and President Arif Alvi both condemned the attack and expressed condolences. Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti described it as a "heinous act" and alleged Indian intelligence involvement in recent Balochistan attacks. Information Minister Jan Achakzai announced a three-day mourning period, during which the Pakistani flag was lowered to half-mast on government buildings across the province. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, and governments including the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, and Egypt also condemned the attack. The Pakistani Taliban denied responsibility, stating the attack contradicted its policies. On 1 October, local business associations in Balochistan closed shops in solidarity with victims' families, and the provincial government announced compensation of 1.5 million rupees (approximately $5,184) per victim.

As of September 2023, no group had claimed responsibility for the bombing. Amir Rana, director of the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies, suggested that the Mastung attack and a bombing at a mosque in Hangu that occurred hours later appeared consistent with the modus operandi of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), though this remains an assessment rather than a confirmed claim. The attack is one of several insurgent and jihadist incidents that have struck Balochistan over the past decade, including previous major attacks in Mastung in 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2018 that together caused 259 deaths and 336 injuries.