Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a local separatist group, claimed responsibility for the attack. Balochistan, a large, poor and sparsely populated province, has long been the scene of ethnic, sectarian and separatist violence.
It is rich in hydrocarbons and minerals, but its population complains of being marginalized and robbed of its natural resources. Tensions increased in mid-January, when the Pakistani army carried out a strike against BLA fighters taking refuge in Iran, across the border.