BALOCHISTAN LIBERATION ARMY (BLA)

Founded around 2000, the BLA is an armed separatist group advocating for an independent Baloch state. Operating primarily in southwestern Pakistan, the group’s ideology is ethno-nationalist rather than religiously motivated. Its struggle stems from long-standing grievances against the Pakistani government, including perceived economic exploitation, political marginalization, and alleged human rights abuses against the Baloch population.

The group also opposes persistent military operations in Balochistan, the exploitation of the region’s rich natural resources without equitable local benefit, and the perceived disproportionate allocation of resources to Chinese-backed projects, particularly those associated with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative.