Environmental and development affairs expert and former caretaker minister in Balochistan Dr Faiz Muhammad Kakar has said that the participation of educated Baloch women in the armed movement demonstrates that those involved are educated people.
Speaking during a discussion on Balochistan at The Black Hole in Islamabad, Dr Kakar said that educated Baloch women joining armed groups was evidence that Baloch fighters were educated.
“No ignorant person takes up arms in this manner,” he said.
Dr Kakar added that the conflict could not be resolved through force alone.
“If they are terrorists to some, they are heroes to others,” he said.
Women’s participation in Baloch armed organisations has become increasingly visible in recent years. A significant turning point came in April 2022, when Shari Baloch carried out a suicide attack near the Confucius Institute at the University of Karachi, killing three Chinese teachers and their Pakistani driver. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack.
Earlier this year, the BLA publicly introduced one of its female commanders, Shaynaz Baloch, describing the move as a significant development within the organisation.
More recently, on 22 September 2026, reports emerged of an attack on a Pakistani military convoy in Turbat. Following the incident, the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) claimed responsibility and announced the formation of a new female unit named the Karima Armed Assault Division (KAAD).
The announcement followed a broader increase in the visibility of women within Baloch armed organisations. The BLA has also previously stated that several female fighters and suicide attackers participated in Operation Herof.