Daily Times

When disputes fester between people, the sane response is conversation. When nations fracture, the same principle applies: talk, negotiate, rebuild. But what happens when one side replaces dialogue with dynamite? For 20 years, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has answered that question with chilling clarity, choosing carnage over conversation. Their latest atrocity, the March 11 bombing of the Jaffar Express, which killed civilians journeying between Quetta and Rawalpindi, isn’t just an attack on a train. It’s an assault on the very notion of Pakistan as a shared identity.

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has spent two decades scripting Pakistan’s pain. Since its emergence in 2000, the group has attacked pipelines, blown up buses, and massacred civilians, each act designed to sever Balochistan from the nation’s map. Their violence is calculated: strike symbols of connection, like trains linking provinces, and amplify alienation.

This raises uncomfortable questions: How does a militant group sustain a two-decade campaign of terror? How do they acquire the high-tech weapons, drones, and explosives to strike pipelines, buses, and trains with such precision? When the BLA bombs a train like the Jaffar Express, killing students, labourers, and families, who’s really funding their war? Pakistan’s security agencies have long pointed to evidence of foreign fingerprints: sophisticated weaponry, cross-border training camps, and shadowy networks that exploit Baloch grievances to fuel chaos. If the BLA claims to fight for Baloch rights, why do their bombs slaughter the very women, children, and workers they vow to liberate?

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by area, has long been a focus of state-led development initiatives aimed at addressing historical grievances. The region’s infrastructural projects, including roads, schools, and hospitals, as well as its inclusion in national programs like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), reflect the government’s intent to uplift the province. CPEC, in particular, promises job creation, energy solutions, and trade connectivity, with Balochistan positioned as a critical hub. Projects like Gwadar Port and new highways are lifelines for Baloch youth seeking opportunities, So why does the BLA attack these projects? Because progress threatens their narrative. Prosperity could silence their cries of “oppression.”

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has spent two decades scripting Pakistan’s pain.

The state’s stance on Balochistan has consistently emphasized constitutionalism and inclusivity. Pakistan’s Constitution guarantees provincial autonomy, and successive governments have negotiated with elected Baloch representatives to address concerns over resource distribution and political representation. The 18th Amendment, devolving greater powers to provinces, and the Aghaz-e-Huqooq-e-Balochistan package were deliberate steps to redress historical grievances. However, the BLA and affiliated groups, designated as terrorist organizations by Pakistan and international partners, have rejected these mechanisms. Instead, they opt for violence that disproportionately harms civilians, including Baloch citizens, thereby undermining the prospects of peaceful resolution.

It is important to recognize that Balochistan’s challenges are not isolated. The province’s strategic location and resource wealth have made it a target for foreign interference. Pakistani authorities have repeatedly highlighted evidence of external support to militant groups, including the BLA, aimed at destabilizing the region. Such interference exploits local grievances, transforming political demands into a violent insurgency. The state’s security operations, therefore, are not merely about law enforcement but about safeguarding sovereignty against externally fueled subversion.

Critics argue that heavy-handed security measures risk alienating populations. Yet, it is equally true that no state can tolerate attacks on its citizens or infrastructure. The armed forces’ role in neutralizing terrorist threats, evident in the significant decline in violence in Balochistan over the past decade has been coupled with initiatives to promote reconciliation. Programs encouraging militants to surrender and reintegrate into society, alongside increased recruitment of Baloch youth into civil and military services, demonstrate a dual approach of security and inclusion.

The Jaffar Express attack highlights a painful irony: while the BLA claims to fight for Baloch rights, its victims are often ordinary Baloch citizens. But Pakistan’s youth are rewriting this script. On 25th March, the students of the QAU organized a peace walk to condemn & express solidarity with the families of the victims of the Jaffar Express Attack. The students carried banners and placards with slogans such as “March 11, a Black Day” and “We stand united.”

A day later, The Rawalpindi Women University also organised a peace walk led by Vice Chancellor Dr. Anila. Students marched with placards declaring “United We Stand” and “11 March: Black Day.”

The Rawalpindi protest did not end with slogans. The university’s arts department launched a painting competition themed “Jaffar Express: A Journey Toward Peace,” inviting students to condemn terrorism through art.

These protests transcend mourning. They are a blueprint for resistance. Pakistan’s security operations have curbed violence, but the true antidote to terror lies in this youth-led mobilization. From social media campaigns to campus rallies shows a generation unwilling to let violence define their future. The message is clear: Pakistan’s youth refuse to inherit a legacy of division. They choose hope over hatred, dialogue over destruction and no amount of violence can derail that journey.

The writer is a freelance Content Writer & Columnist. She can be reached at: rakhshandamehtab @gmail.com