In the last year, the security situation in Balochistan has witnessed significant and alarming developments involving two anti-Pakistan terrorist organizations: the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). Their internal conflict, their tactical evolution and the expanding network of external forces exploiting both demand a clear-eyed and systematic analysis from a national security perspective.

A deadly clash in Mastung District in March 2025 effectively ended the uneasy coexistence between the secular BLA and the jihadist ISKP. Based on reports of this infighting, some analysts misperceived that it was caused by Pakistani military or intelligence agencies or that Pakistan’s security services were exploiting their internal rifts. An in-depth analysis reveals otherwise. There is no credible evidence of Pakistani security agency involvement in this infighting. Both organizations have their own reasons to fight each other. Each seeks to reduce the operational space of the other and to consolidate influence over areas and populations in Balochistan. Their rivalry is a competition for dominance — not a sign of weakness.

The State of Pakistan is clear that this infighting offers no relief; rather, it reflects both groups’ efforts to strengthen their positions. Since early 2025, ISKP has expanded operations into Balochistan, clashing with the BLA while seeking to delegitimize the Pakistani state and undermine Baloch separatist nationalism. Both organizations pose serious but distinct threats. The BLA seeks to undermine Pakistan’s territorial integrity........

© Pakistan Observer