By Ruzhn
“Pakistan is currently in a defensive position, and its actions are not proving to be effective.”
This bold admission by Pakistani defense analyst Abdul Basit, during a discussion on Operation Mashkaaf with Al Jazeera, underscores a major transformation underway in Balochistan. For the first time in decades, the Pakistani state acknowledges its weakening grip in a region long subjected to military campaigns, media blackouts, and violent crackdowns.
But what does it mean for a state long defined by its aggressive posture to now be on the defensive? To understand that, we must examine the shifting paradigms and doctrines of the Balochistan Liberation War.
Paradigm vs Doctrine in Warfare
In the context of conflict, a paradigm is the lens through which a side views the war—the political and moral justification for its cause. The doctrine is the practical strategy shaped by that paradigm: the method of warfare, organization, and action.
For Baloch nationalists:
• Paradigm: Balochistan is an occupied territory; the war is a struggle for national liberation.
• Doctrine: Use of guerrilla warfare, sabotage, and strategic attacks to exhaust the occupier over time.
For the Pakistani state:
• Paradigm: Baloch insurgency is a separatist movement driven by foreign intelligence.
• Doctrine: Suppress the movement through military operations, disappearances, tribal manipulation, and media control.
The Baloch Question and War from 1948
From Tribal Uprisings to Nationalist War (1948–1990s)
The first four Baloch insurgencies (1948, 1958, 1962, 1973) were led mostly by tribal chiefs. The paradigm at the time was tribal autonomy—a resistance for liberation or against forced integration and centralization by the Pakistani state. During this time, the “One Unit” policy was introduced, and guerrilla warfare emerged under figures like General Sher Mohammad Marri.
These doctrines were reactionary and scattered, consisting mainly of defensive resistance using tribal militias and familiarity with the terrain.
However, these uprisings were isolated and lacked a long-term national political strategy. Most ended in brutal suppression or negotiated surrender.
The Fifth Insurgency: Rise of the Nationalist Paradigm (2000s–Present)
The early 2000s marked a doctrinal and ideological revolution. With the killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti in 2006, a new generation of educated, ideologically driven Baloch youth took leadership. Unlike their predecessors, they demanded full independence rather than mere autonomy.
This wave birthed modern militant outfits like:
• Baloch Liberation Army (BLA)
• Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF)
• Baloch Republican Army (BRA)
• Later, United Baloch Army (UBA)
Their paradigm was decolonial: Pakistan is a settler-colonial state; Balochistan must be de-occupied.
Their doctrine: long-term asymmetric warfare, guerrilla insurgency, control of terrain, targeting of infrastructure, psychological and urban warfare.
Baloch Liberation Army (BLA): Vanguard of Strategic Resistance
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) is arguably the most formidable Baloch insurgent group. Founded in the early 2000s, it quickly rose to prominence through high-profile attacks, strategic assassinations, and operations against CPEC infrastructure.
Doctrinal evolution of BLA:
• Phase 1 (early 2000s): Mountain-based guerrilla warfare—attacks on convoys, checkposts.
• Phase 2 (2008–2017): Sabotage against infrastructure, gas pipelines, communication lines, and targeting local spies and law enforcement.
• Phase 3 (2018–present): Urban warfare, suicide squads (like the Majeed Brigade), coordinated strikes in major cities and attacks including seizure of army camps.
Paradigm deepening:
The BLA now views the war not just as liberation from Pakistan, but as part of a larger anti-colonial struggle against Chinese imperialism via CPEC.
BLA High-Profile Operations and Tactical Evolution
1. Operation Ganjal (February 2, 2022)
In Operation Ganjal, 16 fidayeen (suicide commandos) from the Majeed Brigade took part—9 in the Noshki attack and 7 in the Panjgur assault. Over a 72-hour battle, the fighters captured two separate enemy camps. More than 195 enemy personnel were killed, including 3 officers.
In Noshki, over 90 soldiers were killed, including approximately:
• 55 Frontier Corps (FC) personnel
• 18 SSG commandos from Quetta
• 7 Five Light Commandos
In Panjgur, at least 105 personnel were killed:
• 85 FC soldiers
• 20 SSG commandos
This operation marked one of the deadliest and most strategically significant assaults by the BLA’s Majeed Brigade.
2. Operation Zir Pahazag (Sea Defenders)
Operation Zer Pahzag, (also spelled Zer Pazag) is a series of coordinated, high-impact attacks carried out by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), specifically by its elite Majeed Brigade. The term Zer Pahzag in Balochi translates roughly to “Sea Defenders.”
Below is an overview of the phases:
Phase 1: Attack on Pearl Continental Hotel, Gwadar
Date: May 11, 2019
In the inaugural phase, BLA’s Majeed Brigade targeted the Pearl Continental Hotel in Gwadar, a symbol of foreign investment linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The operation aimed to confront Chinese and local investors present at the hotel. The attackers engaged in a prolonged battle, resulting in significant casualties among Pakistani forces, including over 40 soldiers and several officers. The BLA stated that the operation was a direct response to the exploitation of Baloch resources and served as a warning to foreign entities involved in such projects.
Phase 2: Targeting Chinese Engineers in Gwadar
Date: August 20, 2021
This phase involved a suicide bombing in Gwadar, where a fidayeen attacker targeted a vehicle carrying Chinese engineers associated with CPEC projects. The attack resulted in casualties among the Chinese nationals and was intended to deter foreign involvement in Balochistan’s affairs. The BLA emphasized their opposition to China’s role in exploiting Baloch resources without local consent.
Phase 3: Assault in Gwadar
Date: August 13, 2023
In this operation, BLA’s Majeed Brigade executed a coordinated attack in Gwadar, resulting in the deaths of eleven Pakistani military personnel and four Chinese nationals. The attackers employed guerrilla tactics, engaging security forces in a two-hour-long confrontation. This phase underscored the BLA’s capability to strike high-profile targets and their continued resistance against foreign exploitation.
Phase 4: Attack on ISI and MI Headquarters, Gwadar
Date: March 20, 2024
BLA’s fidayeen targeted the headquarters of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI) in Gwadar. The assault led to the elimination of multiple enemy personnel, including officers. Eight BLA fighters participated and embraced martyrdom. The operation was a direct response to the Pakistani state’s oppressive actions in Balochistan, particularly enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.
Phase 5: Attack on PNS Siddique Naval Airbase, Turbat
Date: March 25, 2024
The fifth phase saw BLA’s Majeed Brigade targeting the PNS Siddique naval air station in Turbat, one of Pakistan’s significant naval facilities. The operation resulted in the deaths of over 30 Pakistani soldiers. The BLA issued a stern warning to China, condemning its “illegal” settlements and projects in Balochistan and accusing it of colluding with Pakistan in exploiting Baloch resources.
The Karachi Attack:
On October 6, 2024, a fidayeen attack near Karachi Airport targeted a convoy of Chinese engineers, killing two and injuring at least 16 others. The Baloch Liberation Army’s Majeed Brigade claimed responsibility.
The attacker was Shah Fahad, also known as Aftab, a BLA fidayeen. In a video released by BLA’s media wing Hakkal (BLA Media Wing), Shah Fahad warned China against exploiting Baloch resources and called for an end to CPEC and Gwadar projects.
Fahad had arrived in Karachi on October 4, purchased a vehicle for the mission, and coordinated the attack through local support.
Operation Mashkaaf
On March 11, 2025, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) hijacked the Jaffar Express, a passenger train traveling from Quetta to Peshawar. It was said a highly sophisticated operation by hijacking the Jaffar Express. This was not a mere act of violence but a carefully planned and strategic strike.
The hijackers, after taking control of the train, ensured that women and children were safely released before continuing their standoff. The Pakistani state initially claimed to have rescued the passengers. However, social media videos and evidence from the ground revealed the truth, showing that it was the BLA’s decision to release the women and children, dispelling Pakistan’s narrative of a rescue operation.
4. Intelligence-Based Operations
Recent BLA operations involve:
- Surveillance and reconnaissance,
- Use of encrypted communication,
- Media warfare,
- Targeted assassinations by specialized brigades (e.g., Majeed Brigade).
This reflects a shift to hybrid insurgency tactics, blending traditional and modern methods.
It is said by Hassan Khan, a Pakistan Security Analyst in Al Jazeera, that the Jaffar Express Hijacking is the most unusual and second most successful train hijack in the world.
The BLA’s evolution shows a group no longer fighting just for local control, but for international recognition of their cause.
BLF: Regional Stronghold with Ideological Discipline
The Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), led by Dr. Allah Nazar Baloch, is ideologically rigid, non-tribal, and operates heavily in the southern and coastal belts.
BLF’s operations focus on:
- Destroying military camps
- Ambushing intelligence convoys
- Punishing collaborators
Like BLA, BLF has also gone urban, but also retain rural control, making it a vital backbone in sustained resistance.
BRAS: Coordination over Fragmentation
In 2018, a milestone occurred with the formation of BRAS (Baloch Raji Aajoi Sangar), an alliance between BLA, BLF, and the Baloch Republican Guard (BRG).
Purpose of BRAS:
• Centralized command
• Pooled intelligence
• Coordinated attacks
Its doctrine emphasizes:
• Synchronization
• Targeting Chinese interests and CPEC routes
• Civil-military ambushes
• Information warfare
This marks the evolution toward a national liberation front model.
Urban Warfare: The New Frontier
One of the most significant doctrinal shifts has been the move into urban centers like Quetta, Turbat, Karachi, and Gwadar.
The BLA’s institutionalization has redefined Baloch militancy:
• Majeed Brigade leads urban insurgency through political suicide operations.
• Fateh Squad handles mountainous guerrilla tactics.
• Special Tactical Operation Squad (STOS) executes covert missions.
• ZIRAB, the intelligence wing, plans operations.
Current Dynamics: Defensive State, Evolving Resistance
Today, Pakistan finds itself in a defensive posture. Despite using the old tactics of military operations, enforced disappearances, media blackouts, still the Baloch militaries are getting stronger and working sophisticatedly in urban areas.
The example of sophisticated warfare is, we have all seen the videos in the social media that the Jaffar Express’s women, children and old people who were released by BLA, which were then entitled as, “rescued.”
Groups like BLA and BRAS now operate with:
- Greater coordination
- Better arms
- Local intelligence
- Political messaging
The Baloch liberation movement has moved from tribal revolt to strategic insurgency, from scattered attacks to national coordination, and from mountain guerrilla war to urban battlefield.
It is no longer a sporadic insurgency. It is a war with clear paradigm, evolving doctrine, and increasing legitimacy, regionally and globally.
Pakistan must recognize this shift, not with more force, but with political maturity. Because this is no longer a war that can be buried under mass graves and silenced by censorship. It’s a movement embedded in a people who have redefined resistance in the 21st century.
References:
• Basit, A. (2025). “Pakistan in a defensive position,” Al Jazeera interview, March 2025.
• Changing Face of Insurgency in Balochistan, The Geopolitics, 2023.
• “BLA: From Mountains to Metropolises,” The Guardian, 2024.
• “BRAS Alliance: United Front of Baloch Militants,” South Asia Terrorism Portal, 2023.
• “Train Hijack Linked to Baloch Militants,” Financial Times, March 2025.
• “Mahrang, Sammi Detained Under 3MPO,” Balochwarna News, April 2025.
• “Kill-and-Dump Returns,” Dawn, March 2025.
• Amnesty International, Enforced Disappearances in Balochistan, 2024.
• Insurgency in Balochistan, Wikipedia, 2025 Edition
• Reuters: Reporting on the train hijacking, detailing the death toll and the military’s accusations of foreign backing.
• Al Jazeera: In-depth coverage of the hijacking, including survivor accounts and the operation’s complexities.
• The Guardian: Details on the Pakistani military’s operation to free hostages after the train hijacking, with casualty reports.
• Wikipedia – 2024 Karachi Airport Bombing: Details about the suicide attack targeting Chinese engineers near Karachi Airport, claimed by the BLA’s Majeed Brigade.
• The Times of India: Coverage of the suicide blast near Karachi Airport, resulting in casualties among Chinese nationals and Pakistani police, with BLA’s involvement.
• Voice of America (VOA): Reporting on China’s reaction to the attack, expressing deep shock and demanding swift justice.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Balochistan Post or any of its editors.