Balochistan: The State Is Inactive, The Terrorists Are Taking Control – OpEd

On March 16, 2025, a bomb explosion near a bus carrying security forces in the Noshki district of Pakistan’s Balochistan province killed at least five officers and injured dozens of people, according to police authorities. The attack comes less than a week after a deadly train hijacking incident in the southwestern province.

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility on Sunday for the attack in the Noshki area of Balochistan. This separatist terrorist group, known for its terrorist activities aimed at enforcing Islam, was also behind the train hijacking that killed dozens of people.

Police officer Zafar Zamanani said the explosion caused severe damage to another nearby bus. The dead and injured were taken to a nearby hospital. Balochistan’s Minister of State, Sarfaraz Bugti, condemned the attack and expressed his sorrow over the loss of lives. “Those who play with the peace of Balochistan will meet a tragic end,” Bugti said in an official press statement.

The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shahbaz Sharif, also condemned the attack, which comes as Pakistan faces an increasing security crisis in its border areas with Afghanistan. Kamal Haider, a journalist for Al Jazeera, stated that the attack occurred on a convoy of at least eight buses transporting security personnel from Noski to Taftan, near the border with Iran. “First, there was an improvised explosive device, and then a burst of gunfire from the attackers.” Local sources say they fear the death toll may rise, he added.

The incident comes less than a week after the BLA ambush on the Jaffar Express, where they held approximately 400 people hostage and killed 26 of them, including soldiers, before security forces launched an operation and killed all 33 attackers. In recent years, the country has seen an increase in attacks, including those carried out by the TTP, which is ideologically aligned with the Taliban in Afghanistan. Last year, there were more than 1,500 deaths in the country due to these attacks. The Taliban have denied any role in the attacks.

What exactly is happening right now with the army of the terrorist organization BLA that continuously carries out attacks in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran, and who is behind it?

Pakistan, engaging in false propaganda, stated on Friday that the train hijacking last week was carried out by “terrorists” who were communicating with “handlers in Afghanistan,” while claiming that India was the mastermind behind it. However, to get to the truth, we need to take a more substantive reading of the tense situation in Balochistan, which, due to Pakistan’s flawed policies, operates as a haven for terrorists who cause terror in the surrounding areas.

Initially, the issue of China’s involvement in Pakistan must be addressed, as China is using it to promote its economic interests through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Pakistan has been a significant economic and trade hub in China’s effort to dominate Southeast Asia through the BRI.

While the cooperation between China and Pakistan could have benefited the economies of both countries, in the end, Pakistan, as the weaker member of the equation, became a pawn in China’s expansionist policy without receiving corresponding economic benefits as a country. A similar situation was experienced by other countries in crisis, such as Greece in 2011, which gradually sold its ports to the Chinese, but ultimately only the Chinese side benefited from this agreement, not the Greek.

The situation in Balochistan, which has become a stronghold for Islamist terrorists, is largely a response from its dissatisfied residents to the continuous state indifference they feel. Living in poverty and lacking access to education, they are the most fertile primary material for being radicalized by the fanatical Islamist terrorists of the BLA.

The living conditions in Balochistan are so dire that the deadlock experienced by the people easily turns into fanaticism. Despite being the most resource-rich province of Pakistan, Balochistan’s natural wealth is primarily exploited for the benefit of the central government and other provinces, leaving the local population deprived of basic services. The persistent practice of enforced disappearances, targeting Baloch activists, students, and citizens, has drawn condemnation from international human rights organizations. This systematic oppression has intensified the sense of injustice among the Baloch. Ongoing military actions against the Baloch population, including indiscriminate killings and severe bombings, have driven many in the region towards armed resistance. The continued reliance on military force, rather than dialogue, has only exacerbated the bitterness and turmoil.

Especially regarding women’s rights, the police often refuse to record cases of violence against women while civil society in Pakistan remains indifferent. On the other hand, feminist movements in the country, such as the well-known Aurat March, rarely acknowledge the unique struggles of Baloch women. In this context, the Baloch Unity Committee (BYC), the leading civil rights movement in Balochistan, stands out from the dominant feminist movements in Pakistan.

What needs to happen in Balochistan, in order to stop the vicious cycle of violence and terrorism, is for military operations in Balochistan to cease, as well as enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions. A substantial dialogue between the state and Baloch leaders must be initiated immediately so that human rights protection for the people of Balochistan can begin.

While the Pakistani government often tries to shift the blame for its shortcomings, the crisis in Balochistan undoubtedly stems from its flawed policies. If the state truly aims to restore stability, it must prioritize political, economic, and social justice over military solutions. Without such reforms, Pakistan will continue to struggle with a destabilizing crisis in Balochistan. Linguist Noam Chomsky stated, “Everyone is concerned about the elimination of terrorism. Well, there is a very easy way. Stop participating in it.” To implement this saying, Pakistan must give the necessary importance to this province.