Daily Times

The endless cycle of terrorism has become a dark phase of Pakistan’s existence as a state. The current political and economic instability only adds to the threats faced by the country. But in the thick of things, a bigger threat to the country has been organizing itself as a force more fatal than we may have known and dealt with before, and this is not the TTP anymore.

When Pakistan was eliminating other terrorist groups in military operations, BLA went dormant and carried out fewer attacks. The country-wide operations limited their movements to an extent due to the increased vigilance by the law enforcement agencies. But BLA’s attack on Karachi’s stock exchange and ambushes to the recent killing of two hostages show an advanced and steady build-up of the Balochistan Liberation Army. Since its formation as a ragtag militia and some political motives, BLA has become a more organized group with not only adequate training but also its organizational hierarchy, enhanced reconnaissance capabilities, and an active social media footprint. BLA has also formed alliances with other terror groups including Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, making their surveillance and assistance network more systematized; giving the group more safe houses to retreat in case of a military operation against them.

The formation of a legal entity within BLA — the Baloch National Court gives an idea about the organization and how it is currently set up.

Among its new structure is the Special Tactical Operations Squad; the squad is responsible for the killing of Lt. Col along with another member of his family. The squad is also reported to be responsible for the security of the senior leadership of BLA and is given assignments that require extensive planning and executions. The statement released by BLA also suggests that the group has planned similar attacks on military personnel in the future – indicating a serious breach in the safety measures generally required by the personnel and their families stationed in Balochistan. The formation of a legal entity within BLA – the Baloch National Court gives an idea of how the organization is currently set up. Another elite unit, which was established in 2011, is the Majeed Fidayeen Brigade which carries out suicide attacks and has also inducted female fighters. On 26 Apr 2022, a female suicide bomber targeted three Chinese and two Pakistani nationals outside Karachi University. The attack was swiftly claimed by BLA in an email to Al- Jazeera stating “The mission was carried out by the first female fidayeen (martyr) of the brigade and threatened to conduct further attacks through hundreds of highly trained men and women”. This is alarming as until recently, the Baloch separatists denounced suicide bombing, especially by women. Later, another female suicide bomber was apprehended by law enforcement agencies in a timely operation. The breeding grounds of the ethnic and ideological drive of the BLA remain the unchecked educational institutions. The actions speak of BLA’s military-style set-up to stop the “colonization of resources” by the state at the behest of China but also raise a question about the safety of Pakistan’s troops.

The recent spate of Baloch insurgents’ attacks highlights that the insurgency has come of age. Handlers and financers of the insurgency have moved it from a hit-and-run guerilla struggle to an erudite urban insurgent movement that seems capable of high-profile attacks. Scrutiny of recent events reveals important lessons to formulate a counter strategy in present times. With their training camps moved to Afghanistan and financing routed via Europe and Gulf, BLA challenges Pakistan’s current counter-terrorism approach.

Over the years, Pakistan has gained significant counter-terrorism experience and has trained most of its law enforcement agencies including the police. But counter-terrorism strategies cannot remain the same and need to evolve as the modus operandi of terror groups change.

For this, the military needs to change its modus operandi in Balochistan. All information regarding the locations of its offices must be put off the maps. For the safety of its personnel, their identities along with personal information and social footprint must be secured keeping in mind BLA’s threat to target more officers. A renewed vetting process of all related staff and issuing security clearances is required as well.

The recently promulgated National Security Policy focuses on the country’s geoeconomic strengths and weaknesses while prioritizing its economic and human security. Hence, Pakistan’s focus on its geo-economic potential and CPEC takes the center stage. Baloch insurgents and their financers’ have targeted CPEC and Chinese nationals to sow the seeds of mistrust between China and Pakistan alongside presenting Pakistan as a country with a high risk for investment. The uptick in conventional attacks against LEAs, use of better weaponry, night attacks, and tactics indicates a high level of training and planning by the peers and a huge influx of finances and even benefits for the families. Hence providing sufficient incentives to its fighters. Pakistan needs to pull the monetary plug on BLA and take up terror financing issues with the concerned international authorities.

To counter the extensive and gruesome details and videos of BLA and its attacks, Pakistan needs to trace and take the issue of its social media presence more seriously. It must initiate the filtration or banning of such content from having open access in Pakistan, as most of the content already violates the terms of use stated on popular social media sites. The group’s cyber presence needs to be cut down to deprive the group of the ability to propagate its messages. While the kinetic operation was launched to avenge the recent deaths has caused BLA some loss, Pakistan needs to draw the non-kinetic means if it wants to eradicate BLA. The state needs a new lens to understand, let alone resolve, the latest phase of the Baloch conflict if wants to avoid another wave of terrorism.

The writer is an independent media and foreign policy analyst. She tweets @MsAishaK