As if an upsurge in militancy in Pakistan’s north-west were not enough, the south-west has also weathered the same. On January 31, Balochistan once again endured a bout of militancy, which left its indelible mark on around a dozen cities, including the capital city, Quetta. The main target was the security forces. The accessory targets remained banks, hospitals, civilian officers and buildings of administration. The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the ravaging attacks.

In the past, the security forces used to launch expeditions to the hilly, rugged terrain situated off cities to hunt down militants hiding in crevices and caves. Since 2022, there has been a change in the direction of conflict. It is now militants that are descending from hills into cities to wreak mayhem. The settled areas are the target because the attacks generate news splashed across the front pages of dailies and the headlines of news bulletins. The cause of militancy is achieved and the issue seeks international attention. Through their blatant acts, the militants have been trying to say that they are stakeholders for bargains. Put simply, without their consent, resources of the land cannot be tapped into. Nevertheless, this time the attacks were unexpected because these are mostly a feature of the past winter season. Perhaps this very point favoured the assailants to accentuate the element of surprise in January and take on victims who were unprepared. In the broader sense, the victim is the........

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