THE martyrdom of Sessions Judge Abdul Hakeem Kakar in Mastung on 23 July 2026 was not just another act of violence in Balochistan. It was an attack on the Constitution, on the courts and on the idea that disputes in Pakistan are settled by law, not by the gun. When we look beyond the immediate bloodshed, a larger and more dangerous picture emerges. The Mastung attack bears the clear fingerprints of foreign sponsorship, growing operational coordination between banned outfits and a domestic political facade that is weaponizing public grievances to justify terrorism.
The Baloch Liberation Army’s recent surge in Mastung — the assassination of a judge, the killing of three civilian bus passengers, the blowing up of a bridge in Khad Kucha and the arrest of two female suicide bombers — is not sustainable on local resources alone. The weapons used, the communications equipment recovered in recent security operations and the funding trails all point toward external support. Track record of Indian rogue agencies is too obvious to ignore in ongoing turbulence of Baluchistan. The targeting of judges in Mastung fits this design perfectly. What makes the current phase more alarming is the growing operational coordination between banned outfits (ISKP, BLA and BYC) one month after the Anti-Terrorism Court in Quetta sentenced BYC leaders Mahrang Baloch and Sibghatullah Shahji for their role in the murder of FC soldier Shabbir Ahmed, judges were attacked in Mastung. Hours later, ISKP claimed responsibility for an attack that bore all the hallmarks of BLA’s tactics. This is not coincidence. Security officials have flagged increasing linkages between BLA and ISKP — shared facilitation routes, propaganda amplification and even joint recruitment, including the use of female suicide bombers.
Ideologically they differ, but tactically they have found common ground: destabilize Pakistan, attack state institutions and spread fear. This convergence allows each group to provide “cover” for the other. When BLA strikes, ISKP claims it. When ISKP is pressured, BLA takes the front. The result is confusion, delayed response and a more lethal threat to civilians and state institutions alike. The BYC presents itself as a human rights voice. In reality, it functions as the political and narrative wing of the terror ecosystem. BYC mobilizes exploits public grievances to delegitimize the state, attacks the judiciary and create space for terrorism.
After the June convictions, BYC launched an international campaign portraying terrorists as “activists” and anti-terror laws as “black laws.” This narrative does two things: it shields terrorists from accountability and it signals to groups like BLA that violence will be politically defended. Three actions must be ensured by the state . First, expose and diplomatically isolate the foreign sponsors behind BLA.
The evidence must be taken to every international forum. Second, dismantle the BLA-BYC-ISKP nexus through law enforcement and protected judicial processes. Third, address genuine grievances in Balochistan through development and political dialogue. Martyrdom of jurists, security officials and unarmed civilians must be avenged with the swift strengthening of the writ of state.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Islamabad.
