QUETTA: A senior administrative officer was martyred after armed militants launched a coordinated attack on Surab town in Balochistan on Friday, also torching several government buildings and looting a bank.

Balochistan government spokesman Shahid Rind confirmed the killing, noting that Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Hidayatullah Buledi was gunned down after armed men stormed his residence and opened fire. His family was present during the attack but remained unharmed.Officials said a large group of militants, travelling on motorcycles and in vehicles, entered Surab, located on the Quetta-Karachi Highway, and cordoned off police and Levies stations before targeting government installations.According to officials, they set fire to multiple government offices, including police and Levies posts, looted and torched a localbank and burnt four official vehicles.

The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimedresponsibility for the assault.

`The proxy of Hindustan has conducted this attack,` Mr Rind said.

Sources said the armed men initially blocked the Quetta-Karachi Highway at Surab, where they stopped and searched passing vehicles before moving into the town.

After attacking and burning Levies and police stations, they attempted to loot weapons but were repelledbypersonnelwhoengaged in a heavy exchange of fire.

The militants also tried to storm the Deputy Commissioner`s Ofhce, but security forces deployed there responded, foreing the attackers to retreat into the nearby mountains.