THE Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) orchestrated multiple terrorist attacks on 25 August 2024. The majority of the victims of the violence were innocent, unarmed civilians; however, the magnitude of the attacks in a single day suggests that terrorist-safe havens in Afghanistan and Iran are increasingly posing a significant threat to Pakistan. Unfortunately, the Afghan Taliban’s policy of ignoring anti-Pakistan terrorists has created an environment where Indian proxies can operate with complete impunity, harming Pakistan’s interests in Afghanistan.
Numerous reports confirm the collaboration between BLA and TTP in promoting terrorism in Pakistan. The partnership suggests that both terrorist groups lack loyalty to their respective agendas and ideologies, with BLA being a secular group and TTP being a religious extremist group. Therefore, the slogans of freedom and the implementation of Shariah serve as mere tools of deceit, enabling them to perpetrate violence in pursuit of their own vested agendas.
In July, a UNSC report revealed that the Afghan Taliban are assisting the BLA to perpetrate terrorism and extortion in Pakistan. The report validates Nusrullah’s confessions, aka Maulvi Mansoor, a top TTP militant commander who is currently in Pakistan’s security forces’ custody. He revealed that Bashir Zeb, chief of the BLA Majeed Brigade, is living in Afghanistan under the patronage of the interim Afghan government. The arrested militant commander played a crucial role in conjoining TTP and BLA, and the Afghan Taliban were on board in this regard. The Afghan Taliban’s engagement with anti-Pakistan elements contradicts the spirit of Islamic brotherhood and international relations principles, given the repeated exposure of Baloch militant outfits for their Indian ties.
As a matter of fact, the arrest of serving commander of the Indian navy Kulbhushan Jadhav from Balochistan in 2016 and his confessions of funding and supporting terrorist acts against the general masses in Balochistan had already proved beyond any doubt that dissident movements have foreign origins and Indian RAW is involved at the operational level. Indian leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, have repeatedly stated that fomenting unrest in Balochistan is a pivotal part of their offensive strategy against Pakistan. Therefore, the subversive propaganda of anarchists in Balochistan has Indian markings on it; web resources are hosted on servers in India; militant leaders show an inclination towards India in their statements; and they often appear on Indian media to level allegations against Pakistan. Furthermore, reports indicate that Brahamdagh Bugti, one of the Baloch dissident leaders, has submitted a formal request for Indian citizenship. Their meetings with Indian diplomats demonstrate the deep involvement of foreign elements in dissident movements. It proves that these dissident leaders are stooges of India.
Many arrested militants have disclosed that both the TTP and BLA receive substantial funding from RAW and the interim Afghan government. Additionally, extortion and kidnapping for ransom are significant sources of their income. The Quran-o-Sunnat explicitly condemns the various crimes committed by these militant groups. The nefarious agenda of Baloch dissident leaders is centered on economic manipulation, aiming to keep Balochistan impoverished and underdeveloped. They exploit the Baloch people as part of a proletariat, engaging in frequent attacks on laborers and construction sites to obstruct economic progress. By targeting infrastructure and opposing development projects that could benefit the general populace, they are effectively denying the Baloch community access to essential services and opportunities for advancement.
This deliberate sabotage underscores their role in perpetuating Balochistan’s underdevelopment. Despite their secular stance, BLA’s actions are inconsistent with Islamic principles. The alliance between TTP and BLA further illustrates the hypocrisy of their calls for Shariah laws, as their activities contradict these very principles. The Afghan Taliban’s support for these groups highlights their disregard for Shariah and ethical conduct, demonstrating a troubling alignment with foreign interests over genuine Islamic values.
TTP and BLA are conducting attacks on Chinese citizens working on CPEC projects in Pakistan. Islam forbids harming the interests of a Muslim community, and the Afghan Taliban and TTP violate Shariah by working against the interests of Pakistani citizens. The major concern for these militants is the rapid economic uplift of Balochistan due to CPEC. They are certain that it would liberate Baloch youth from financial deprivation; therefore, they are conducting intensive propaganda against China. Moreover, some hostile foreign elements are demonstrating strong opposition to CPEC, and Baloch militants are targeting Chinese individuals working on mega-projects at their behest. In this regard, Pakistan has shared dossiers containing proof of Indian involvement in terrorism in Balochistan with the UN and international community. Similarly, Pakistan is urging the international community to hold the Afghan Taliban accountable for providing sanctuary to the BLA and TTP in Afghanistan.
The people of Pakistan expect the Afghan Taliban to take appropriate action against India and Afghanistan and to assist Pakistan in bringing terrorists to justice. Finally, the rule of law requires that lawbreakers must face the due process of law, and people must help law enforcement agencies in arresting and punishing the perpetrators of terrorism in Balochistan.
—The writer is a freelance contributor on the issues of violent extremism and militancy.
