On July 11, 2025, a remote stretch of highway near Zhob, Balochistan, became the scene of a deadly terrorist attack. Armed terrorists linked to the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) intercepted a passenger bus, checked the identity cards of those on board, and abducted nine young men, all of them from Punjab. Hours later, their bodies were found, shot dead. Among the victims were two brothers en route to Lodhran to attend their father’s funeral.
The attack was part of a broader, ongoing campaign of ethnic violence in Balochistan, where non-local civilians have been repeatedly targeted and killed to drive them out of the province and incite ethnic conflict. The group behind these attacks, the BLA, is a proscribed terrorist organization and has been designated a terrorist group by the United States.
Weaponizing Ethnicity: BLA’s Calculated Campaign of Violence
Targeting civilians based solely on their identity lies at the core of the BLA’s operational strategy. While Punjabis remain the primary targets, other ethnic groups, including Sindhis, Pashtuns, and even Baloch who oppose the BLA, have also faced violence. The group has consistently targeted dissenting voices and those perceived as outsiders, regardless of how long they or their families have lived in the province.
Between 2006 and 2014, over 1,000 non-local civilians were reportedly killed in attacks carried out by the BLA and allied groups. That figure is estimated to have surpassed 2,000 in the years since. More recently, since January 2024, at least 130 non-locals have been killed in targeted incidents. Notable among these are the July 10, 2025, bus attack near Zhob, the Noshki ambush on April 13, 2024, and the execution of coal miners in Duki.
The victims of this terrorism in the last two decades include teachers, laborers, barbers, small business owners, and civilians who had lived in Balochistan for years, some for generations. The targeted killing of non-local educators has particularly devastated the province’s education system. Notable victims include Dr. Safdar Kiyani, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Balochistan, and Professor Nazima Talib, whose assassination sent shockwaves through academic circles nationwide.
An Ideology of Ethno-Fascism
The BLA’s terrorism is rooted in a virulent ethno-fascist ideology that seeks to purify Balochistan by eliminating those who do not fit its narrow, violent vision of identity. The absurdity of this worldview is laid bare by the fact that some of its victims have been ethnic Baloch from Punjab, targeted simply for living outside Balochistan or refusing to support the BLA’s secessionist agenda.
This ideology is fiercely intolerant of dissent. The BLA’s war is not only against the Pakistani state, it is also a war against any civilian, Baloch or otherwise, who resists its vision. Tribal elders advocating peace, politicians participating in democratic processes, and activists condemning violence are branded traitors or collaborators and often attacked.
Calculated Chaos: Fuelling Ethnic Division and Economic Sabotage
The BLA’s strategy of terror serves multiple destructive objectives. Chief among them is the deliberate stoking of ethnic hatred. By selectively targeting Punjabi or Sindhi labourers, the group hopes to trigger retaliatory violence in other provinces, deepen national divides, and reinforce its claim that peaceful coexistence in Balochistan is impossible. Each murder, each attack, is a calculated attempt to turn this self-fulfilling prophecy into reality.
Moreover, the BLA is engaged in systematic economic warfare. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a multi-billion-dollar initiative centered in Balochistan, is a frequent target. Engineers, construction workers, and security personnel associated with the project have been attacked many times. The aim is clear: scare off foreign investment and stall infrastructure development. These attacks don’t just cost lives, they aim to keep Balochistan poor, isolated, and volatile, conditions that the BLA exploits for recruitment and propaganda.
The Regional Dimension
Pakistan has repeatedly maintained that India provides financial and logistical support to the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). Over the years, Islamabad has presented several dossiers at international forums proving that Indian intelligence agencies maintain operational links with terrorist groups active in Balochistan. The most notable and controversial example came in 2016 with the arrest of Kulbhushan Jadhav, an Indian national and former naval officer, from Balochistan. In a video confession released by Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior, Jadhav stated that he had been involved in activities aimed at destabilizing Pakistan, including funding and advising terrorist groups.
Additionally, the southern regions of Afghanistan have long served as a strategic rear base for BLA terrorists. BLA operatives have maintained safe houses, training camps, and logistical routes along the porous border. On ground reports also suggest operational linkages between the BLA and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), including shared resources, intelligence, and coordination in attacks.
The Way Forward
The BLA’s attempts to fracture Pakistan along ethnic lines have repeatedly failed to gain widespread support. Despite years of targeted killings and provocative attacks, Pakistanis from different provinces have largely refused to fall into the trap of retaliatory hatred and ethnic polarization. This collective restraint is a quiet but powerful rejection of the BLA’s divisive ideology.
However, unity alone is not enough. This resilience must now be reinforced by determined and sustained state action. The government must ensure that those responsible for such acts of terror face swift and uncompromising justice. Security measures must be strengthened, not just to punish, but to prevent further attacks and protect vulnerable communities. Ending this long and painful chapter of violence in Balochistan requires more than words. It demands political will, institutional resolve, and a national consensus that there can be no tolerance for terror in any form.
