Two major “pro-independence” Baloch armed groups—the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF)—have claimed responsibility for a series of attacks targeting Pakistani security personnel, police, and alleged informants over the past two days. The attacks took place in Nushki, Kalat, Tump, Pasni and Karachi, signaling an apparent escalation in the ongoing conflict.
BLA Executes Two Alleged Informants in Nushki and Kalat
On Thursday, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) said that it had killed two individuals in separate attacks in Nushki and Kalat, accusing them of collaborating with Pakistani military and intelligence agencies.
In a media statement, BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch said that Tariq Mengal, an alleged operative of a state-backed armed group, was killed at Mengal Cross in Nushki on Thursday. The BLA alleged that Mengal facilitated raids on homes, harassed women and children, and participated in the targeted killings of youth in the area.
The group further accused him and his network of “extortion, intimidation, and forced recruitment” on behalf of state forces. According to the statement, the BLA’s intelligence wing, “ZIRAB,” has identified all members of Mengal’s network, declaring them “active targets.”
The BLA also claimed responsibility for executing Muhammad Shakir, an alleged Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)agent. The BLA accused Shakir of infiltrating pro-independence circles, facilitating enforced disappearances, and spying on local residents for the Pakistani military.
According to the statement, Shakir was apprehended by BLA fighters on January 8 in Pandran, Kalat, based on information obtained from the BLA’s intelligence wing, “ZIRAB.”
The group said Shakir worked as a telecommunications supervisor, using his position to install tracking devices and pose as a sympathizer of Baloch fighters while covertly providing information to the Pakistani army.
During interrogation, Shakir allegedly confessed to working as an ISI informant since 2021, under the supervision of “Major Mujtaba.” The BLA statement said he was part of a five-member ISI network in Kalat, cooperating with ex-Army Colonel Umar, Military Intelligence officer Shahid, and Subedars Ghulam Hussain and Jamil.
Shakir reportedly admitted to tracking various individuals who later became victims of enforced disappearance, including Agha Akhtar Shah in Killi Pandarani and a youth in Khel. The BLA said he was also involved in the disappearance of a Levies personnel and a petrol station worker named Faraz Zehri in Kalat.
Moreover, he allegedly orchestrated an extortion scheme with an associate named Mohab, blackmailing a Hindu businessman to pay 1.5 million rupees, falsely claiming to represent a Baloch armed group.
The group said Shakir disclosed running fake social media accounts under the name “Warna”, posting pro-independence content to lure young men into intelligence traps.
The statement cited a purported voice message from an ISI officer telling Shakir: “Sardar Shakeel is no longer in charge, which is why we will make you Sardar (Chief). You should prepare yourself for this.” Shakir reportedly revealed additional names of informants working with Pakistani forces.
After what the BLA described as a “thorough interrogation,” Shakir was sentenced to death by the “Baloch National Court.” BLA fighters carried out the execution soon thereafter. The group warned that all informants working for Pakistani forces in Kalat and surrounding areas would meet the same fate.
BLF Claims Attacks in Karachi, Tump, and Pasni
Another armed group, the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), claimed responsibility for three separate attacks, targeting a police checkpoint in Karachi and military positions in Tump. They also said they attacked a Coast Guard camp in Pasni.
According to BLF spokesperson Major Gwahram Baloch, on January 29, BLF fighters attacked a police checkpoint in Karachi’s Kathore area, which the group says provides security for Bahria Town—a real estate project the BLF alleges was built on “forcibly occupied Baloch land.” The BLF claims “casualties among police personnel” resulted from the attack.
The BLF also said it launched A-1 shells at a military camp in Gomazi, Tump, causing “casualties and material damage.” Another checkpoint in Asiabad, Tump, was also reportedly targeted on the same night with multiple A-1 shells.
In a separate statement, the BLF claimed responsibility for an attack on a Coast Guard camp in Pasni’s Babbarshor area, wounding two personnel. According to Major Gwahram Baloch, BLF fighters opened fire on Coast Guard personnel standing near the main gate at around 8:20 p.m January 28. The statement claimed that the Coast Guard responded with heavy gunfire, but BLF fighters successfully withdrew using “urban guerrilla tactics.”
Major Gwahram Baloch said the BLF considers these attacks part of an ongoing campaign to remove “occupying forces” from Balochistan, warning that such assaults will continue until an independent Balochistan is achieved.
Surge in Armed Activity Across Balochistan
Balochistan has seen a sharp increase in armed attacks in recent years.
According to data compiled by The Balochistan Post Visual Data Studio, “pro-independence” groups carried out 938 attacks across 25 districts in 2024, resulting in over 1,000 deaths and 679 injuries. The number of attacks rose by 53%, while fatalities surged by 80%, making 2024 one of the deadliest years for Pakistani security forces in the region.
Since the start of 2025, Baloch armed groups appear to have shifted toward more complex and organized attacks.
On January 4, the BLA’s Majeed Brigade carried out a suicide attack on a military convoy in Turbat, killing 47 security personnel and injuring more than 30 others. The attack marked one of the deadliest suicide bombings in recent years in Balochistan.
On January 8, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) launched a large-scale operation in Zehri, Khuzdar, setting fire to government buildings, including a Levies station and a NADRA office. The BLA claimed to have seized weapons and vehicles, describing the attack as a “military exercise” conducted by its Special Tactical Operations Squad (STOS) and Fateh Squad in preparation for the second phase of “Operation Herof.”
On January 9, armed fighters blocked the Kolpur highway in Kachhi district, seizing weapons from Levies personnel and torching heavy machinery at a cement factory. The BLA later claimed responsibility, calling it part of their campaign against state-backed infrastructure projects.
Most recently, on January 26, the BLA claimed responsibility for an attack in Khuzdar that killed at least 11 Pakistani military personnel and injured 28 others, signaling a continued escalation in the ongoing conflict with sustained, high-impact operations.