The 40-Hour Siege That Exposed Pakan’s Faltering Grip on Balochan

As fighting subsided across the Sulaiman and Kirthar mountain ranges in Balochan, Pakan’s largest but least populated province was once again at the centre of a deadly cycle of separat violence, military response and unresolved grievances.For nearly 40 hours, security forces battled what officials described as a coordinated wave of attacks across more than a dozen locations. The banned Balochan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the assaults, which marked one of the deadliest flare-ups in the province in years.Nearly 200 people, including 31 civilians, 17 security personnel and 145 BLA fighters,  were killed, according to the Pakani military. Authorities dismissed the group’s claim that it killed 84 members of the security forces.
In Quetta, a city shaped decades of insurgency, the government projected control.
“Our security forces, personnel and officers have fought bravely,” Al Jazeera quoted Information Miner Attaullah Tarar as saying.
Yet the scale of casualties, including civilians, highlighted how entrenched the conflict remains.
The ‘foreign hand’ argument
Islamabad once again attributed the violence to external interference, branding the fighters “Fitna-al-Hindustan”, an allegation aimed at India. New Delhi didn’t immediately respond to the allegation.Story continues below this ad
On the ground, however, residents and analysts point to long-standing anger over political marginalisation, enforced disappearances and lack of economic opportunity in a resource-rich province.
Development without dividends
Balochan lies at the heart of the $46 billion China-Pakan Economic Corridor (CPEC), anchored the port of Gwadar. But many locals say large projects have failed to translate into jobs or services.
At a coal mine in Spin Karez, a security official told Al Jazeera journals documenting unsafe mining conditions: “Sir, are you crazy! The insurgents [rebels] come in their hundreds and pick up everything, including [paramilitary] checkpoints. Who said it’s safe for you to be in this area?”
Baloch militants have repeatedly attacked mines and killed labourers from other provinces, deepening insecurity and reinforcing perceptions of lawlessness.Story continues below this ad
“A military can neutralise a militant, but it cannot neutralise a grievance. The state sees them as a terror network; many here see their sons and brothers who took up arms,” the publication quoted a security source as saying.
Human cost of a long war
“Everyone here is corrupt,” a former chief miner of Balochan, speaking anonymously0, said.
Residents say corruption has drained funds meant for healthcare, education and infrastructure, eroding trust in the state and leaving security as an abstract promise.
Who is the Baloch Liberation Army?
Pakan’s banned separat group the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for coordinated gun and bomb attacks that killed dozens of civilians and security personnel, triggering one of the deadliest security operations in Balochan in years.Story continues below this ad
The BLA is the strongest of several insurgent groups operating in the mineral-rich province bordering Afghanan and Iran, home to major Chinese-backed projects including the deep-water port of Gwadar.
What does the BLA want?
The BLA seeks independence for Balochan, arguing that the federal government unfairly exploits the province’s gas and mineral resources. It says Balochan’s natural wealth belongs to its people and rejects federal control over extraction and security.
How has it escalated?
Once considered a low-intensity insurgency, BLA attacks have grown more frequent and coordinated. In 2022, militants stormed army and navy bases.
In August 2024, coordinated attacks included highway assaults in which passengers were pulled from buses and shot after identity checks. In March 2025, militants opened fire on the Jaffar Express after sabotaging railway tracks, briefly taking hostages, officials and local media said.Story continues below this ad
The group has used women suicide bombers, including in an attack on Chinese nationals in Karachi, and is designated a foreign terror organisation the United States. Pakan accuses India and Afghanan of backing the militants, allegations both deny.
Who does it target?
The BLA primarily targets security forces and infrastructure in Balochan but has also struck in Karachi. It has attacked Chinese citizens and interests, accusing Beijing of helping Islamabad exploit the province.
Officials say attacks on civilian labourers from other provinces mark a significant escalation.
The group was also at the centre of tit-for-tat strikes last year between Iran and Pakan over alleged militant bases on each other’s territory, bringing the neighbours close to war.