Pakistan is in the headlines for all the right reasons in the international arena, and that is refreshing for the generation that came of age in the post-9/11 world. The role of mediator between the U.S. and Iran that our government has taken on and continues to play has earned us goodwill around the world. If we go by recent statements from U.S. Defence Secretary Hegseth and others, we have moved beyond the Af-Pak hyphenation in South Asia and are being viewed as a middle power with regional influence. These are all developments that should delight us. There is, however, something at home (or perhaps a great deal) that demands introspection.

This article is an attempt to dissect and understand the current trend of violence in Balochistan through both an academic and pragmatic lens. The core idea is that the military and civilian apparatus of the state need to recognise their strengths and bring about a shift in policy in Balochistan. A confident state that knows well that a secessionist or insurgent movement cannot replace its authority operates in a manner where the focus is on winning the hearts and minds of the local population. The only model that history shows to be successful is one of reconciliation and democratic governance.

There is no denying that Balochistan’s internal security landscape has reached a critical juncture. The province is caught in an escalatory spiral that does not align with conventional pacification strategies, and last year alone recorded 782 fatalities in terror attacks and associated security operations, according to the CRSS. The operational mechanisms employed by ethno-nationalist groups have transitioned from guerrilla raids to far more sophisticated and highly coordinated assaults against law enforcement agencies (LEAs) as well as civilians.

The hijacking of the Quetta-to-Peshawar Jaffar Express train in the Bolan Pass by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), involving over 400 passengers, along with a more recent attack on the same train in Quetta targeting military personnel, demonstrates........

© The Friday Times