What is Baloch Liberation Army that ‘targeted’ Pakistan military sites and sent a message to India

The BLA or Baloch Liberation Army reportedly claimed responsibility for a series of coordinated attacks at several locations across Balochistan earlier last week. On May 10, news agency ANI cited the group as saying that these operations are still ongoing, with multiple strategic objectives being pursued.

Later on May 12, the New Indian Express reported that the Balochistan Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for 71 coordinated attacks at over 51 locations across Balochistan.

As per the report, the BLA targeted Pakistani military and intelligence sites, local police stations, mineral transport vehicles and infrastructure along major highways.

Several reports cited BLA as saying, “The aim of these attacks was not simply to destroy the enemy but to test military coordination, ground control, and defensive positions, to strengthen readiness for future organised warfare.”

BLA's message to India

In a press release on May 11, the BLA had a message for India – which launched Operation Sindoor against terror camps located in Pakistana nd Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir on May 7, in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack.

Addressing India directly, Jeeyand Baloch, spokesperson, BLA, said that it wanted to deliver a "clear and unambiguous message to India" that "every talk of peace, ceasefire and brotherhood from Pakistan is merely a deception, a war tactic and a temporary ruse".

"We assure India that if it makes the final decision to eliminate the terrorist state of Pakistan, Baloch Liberation Army, along with the entire nation, is ready to attack from the western border. We will not only welcome the decision but will also become its practical and military arm. We are ready to surround Pakistan from both eastern and western fronts," he said, as per a press release shared by India Today.

"Now, it is the time for the sub-continent and the world to take decisive action against Pakistan," he highlighted.

What is Baloch Liberation Army?

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) is an armed separatist group based in Balochistan, Pakistan, that seeks independence for the Baloch people, news agency ANI reported. The group aims to achieve an independent Balochistan.

The BLA was formed in response to long-standing grievances over political marginalisation, economic exploitation, and military repression by the Pakistani state.

The separatist group emerged in the early 2000s, the Conversation reported. It is considered a terrorist organisation by the Pakistani authorities and several western countries.

The BLA has carried out numerous attacks on Pakistani security forces, government infrastructure, and development projects--particularly those linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which it views as exploitative.

Accoridng to BBC, the BLA stands out as the militant group challenging the authority of Pakistan the most. Several Western countries, including the UK and the US, designated this group as a global terrorist organisation.

Pakistan claims that the group maintains hideouts primarily in Iran and sometimes in Afghanistan too.

Where is Balochistan?

Balochistan is situated in the southwestern region of Pakistan. It shares borders with the Pakistani provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the northeast, Punjab, as per a government website.

It also shared a volatile border with Iran to the West and Afghanistan to the Morthwest, Sindh province to the Southeast. Balochistan also has a vast coastline along the Arabian Sea to the South.

Quetta, the capital and largest city of Balochistan, Pakistan, is located in the southwestern part of the country. With a population exceeding 1.5 million in 2024, it ranks as the tenth largest city in Pakistan, the informations on the “Government of Balochistan” website read.

Why is Balochistan important?

Balochistan stands out as the richest Pakistani province in terms of natural resources, including gas and minerals and is a crucial part of a multi-billion dollar project funded by China called the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), BBC reported.

Balochistan, despite being rich in natural resources such as gas, minerals, and coastal assets, remains one of the poorest and most underdeveloped regions of Pakistan.

Balochistan: The political issue

According to reports, the Baloch Liberation Army and locals claim that Balochistan's vast natural resources are being extracted without benefiting the local population.

The group also accuses the Pakistani government of denying the Baloch people their rights and autonomy.

Resistance against the Pakistani government and the militant insurgency advocating for an independent state for the Baloch people began in 1948, after Pakistan gained independence from the British Indian Empire.