The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has become one of the most concerning destabilizing forces in Pakistan, gravely undermining national security through violent tactics that have grown more calculated and indiscriminate.

The BLA’s use of lethal force against unarmed civilians is indefensible.

Its recent operations exemplify a ruthless pursuit of attention and power at the expense of innocent lives, a reality underscored by the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies’ findings that documented 61 terrorist attacks in November—an alarming 27% increase from the previous month—and a leap in fatalities from 100 in October to 169 in November (Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies, 2023).

With the BLA claiming responsibility for 12 of these assaults, resulting in 45 deaths, the group’s capacity for brutality is clearly on the rise. Particularly notable is the shift away from remote attacks on pipelines, outposts, and convoys, as the BLA now seeks to strike public venues such as the recent suicide bombing at a train station in Quetta, targeting civilians to create panic and discord on a wider scale.

This surge in high-profile violence raises concerns not only about the group’s improved operational sophistication but also about the environment that enables its expansion. Despite its claims of fighting for Baloch rights, the BLA’s use of lethal force against unarmed civilians is indefensible.

The rhetoric of championing regional concerns may exploit genuine grievances in Balochistan, but it is little more than a thin façade for the group’s violent agenda. The alignment of the BLA’s public messaging with issues like resource exploitation, inequitable development, and alleged forced disappearances allows it to rally an alienated segment of the local population to its side.

Yet no degree of frustration over inequity can justify taking the lives of people simply going about their day. By targeting railway stations and busy highways, the BLA confirms it has abandoned the pretext of focusing on security forces or government infrastructure. Instead, it seeks to sow widespread fear, thereby undermining state authority and prolonging a crisis that holds the entire region hostage to intimidation.

By targeting railway stations and busy highways, the BLA confirms it has abandoned the pretext of focusing on security forces.

The BLA’s current pattern of violence also reflects a worrying adaptability. By selecting open, less-protected areas, its operatives avoid the intensive security around strategic government and military installations. These tactics further indicate a cold, calculated intent to produce mass casualties and shocking media images, signaling that no public space in the province is beyond the threat of attack.

In the wake of such atrocities, the group disseminates propaganda, often portraying its victims as government collaborators or as non-Baloch “outsiders.” This narrative incites social rifts, entrenches ethnic divisions, and increases suspicion toward anyone not from the local area. As a result, the BLA’s violent acts not only claim innocent lives but also poison the social atmosphere in Balochistan, diminishing prospects of reconciliation between local communities and authorities.

While law enforcement agencies have succeeded at times in diminishing the BLA’s capacity to assault infrastructure or high-value targets, the group’s pivot to more accessible civilian sites demands an urgent, multifaceted response. Security operations remain indispensable for dismantling BLA cells and bringing perpetrators of violence to justice.

However, a purely militarized approach is not enough. It must be paired with constructive political engagement, economic empowerment, and transparent legal processes that address historical grievances in Balochistan without legitimizing the BLA’s resort to terrorism.

The sense of alienation in the province has accrued over decades, driven by the perception that local resources have been extracted without adequate reinvestment and that human rights abuses have gone unpunished. Shoring up infrastructure, expanding educational opportunities, and ensuring fair revenue-sharing agreements are tangible steps that would provide people with viable alternatives to insurgent propaganda. By addressing socio-economic disparities more effectively, the government can undermine the BLA’s ability to recruit new fighters who might otherwise see no path forward but militancy.

A purely militarized approach is not enough; it must be paired with constructive political engagement, economic empowerment, and transparency.

Moreover, the federal and provincial authorities must mount a concerted information campaign that exposes the BLA’s destructive impact on local communities and clarifies the hypocrisy in its claims of protecting Baloch interests. If the insurgents are genuinely concerned with development and equity, then unleashing random violence on unsuspecting men, women, and children cannot be part of the solution.

Such outrages betray any purported commitment to the well-being of Baloch society. Strengthening local governance and encouraging peaceful dialogue with credible community representatives can help isolate the BLA and diminish the allure of its narrative. This goal will also require media platforms to hold the BLA accountable for its attacks rather than uncritically echoing the group’s justifications.

While Balochistan’s issues are real, no cause is served by inflicting more suffering and deepening mistrust among citizens. The BLA has crossed every moral line in its quest to project power and shape perceptions of grievance. If left unchecked, this insurgency not only endangers national security but also jeopardizes the social fabric of a province that has already endured decades of marginalization.

Such outrages betray any purported commitment to the well-being of Baloch society.

A comprehensive strategy—combining precise security operations with genuine political engagement and accountability—offers the only viable path to peace. It is incumbent upon the government, civil society, and local communities to work together to expose the hollowness of the BLA’s violent campaign and remove any semblance of legitimacy from an organization whose principal offering is pain and death. Only then can Balochistan begin to heal from wounds brutally exploited by those who claim to champion it.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not represent the views, beliefs, or policies of the Stratheia.