The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) announced on Tuesday that Bashir Zeb Baloch would no longer serve as its commander-in-chief, with all administrative, military and policymaking powers transferred to its Senior Command Council pending the selection of a successor.
In a statement, spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch said the decision followed a joint meeting of the organisation’s highest bodies on October 16, during which commanders unanimously approved a leadership transition to give fresh momentum to its activities.
The Senior Command Council, described by the BLA as its highest governing body, would oversee the transition. The statement said a new commander-in-chief would be announced “soon” after the remaining stages of the process, without giving a selection date.
Bashir Zeb, a former chairman of the Baloch Students Organisation-Azad (BSO-Azad) from Nushki, succeeded Aslam Baloch, who was killed in a suicide attack in December 2018.
‘No Individual Can Remain Commander-in-Chief for Life’
The BLA said the transition followed principles established by Aslam Baloch during the organisation’s restructuring in 2018, which it said ended hereditary politics and lifelong leadership.
“No matter how influential, prominent, or high-ranking a commander may be in this movement, no individual can remain Commander-in-Chief for life,” the statement said.
According to the BLA spokesperson, a procedure for transferring leadership had been incorporated into the organisation’s constitution to provide an established and peaceful mechanism for a change of command.
The BLA described the decision as a peaceful and constitutional transfer, saying it had taken place “without any internal fragmentation, breakdown, or conflict”.
It characterised the change as the first such transition within a Baloch armed organisation, arguing that the absence of established succession mechanisms had contributed to internal divisions in the past.
“History bears witness that only those movements achieve sustainable and lasting success that operate through self-sustaining constitutional institutions rather than relying on individual personalities,” the statement said.
The organisation said the decision had the “complete and unconditional endorsement and support” of all operational fronts, regional and camp commanders, and specialised units.
Jeeyand Baloch said the transition would not affect the organisation’s military strategy, field operations or chain of command, adding that attacks on Pakistani forces would continue.
“Our operations across all fronts will continue without interruption,” he said.