Gwadar, faces persistent security threats despite being the cornerstone of China’s sixty billion dollar economic project, and the hub of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Recent BLA attacks have targeted various institutions, including foreigner offices, the passport office, the election commission department, and provincial and federal institutions in Balochistan, where foreign citizens reside.
In a significant escalation, the Majeed Brigade of the Baloch Liberation Army targeted the Military Intelligence Office of the Pakistan Army within the Gwadar Port Authority. The attack, which lasted for several hours, resulted in casualties among military intelligence and inter-service intelligence personnel. These brazen assaults underscore the BLA’s capability to launch deadly attacks even under stringent security measures, suggesting significant local support for their cause.
Despite the tight security measures at the entrances and exits of Gwadar, with the presence of camps of the Pakistan Army, Navy, Coast Guard, and sensitive institutions in the city, the Baloch Liberation Army’s Operation Zar Pahazig attacks refute the Pakistani government’s claims of Gwadar being safe for foreign investment and the imminent activation of economic zones.
Contrary to the government’s assertions, the objective conditions in Balochistan paint a different picture. The intensity of the Baloch insurgency has escalated in recent years, making it clear that international investment in Balochistan cannot materialize without the cooperation and consent of Baloch national institutions.