With Baloch separatists hijacking a train in Pakistan and held hundreds of passengers hostages for three days, the weakness of Pakistani military infrastructure has been exposed. The Pakistani army has declared that the they have killed all the 33 militants and rescued the hostages. But why are the Baloch people fighting for their independence?
### **Who are the BLA?**
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) is a militant group advocating for the independence of Balochistan from Pakistan. However, these militants are not Islamist unlike other terror groups in Pakistan. BLA is a secular Baloch nationalist outfit seeking to free the region from Pakistan.
BLA already controls certain parts of Balochistan with government having no authority in those regions. The BLA has in the past attacked infrastructure and security personnel, and often targeting workers from China.
In November 2024, BLA bombed Quetta railway station, killing dozens of people. They also carried out blasts targeting Chinese citizens near Karachi airport.
In 2022, schoolteacher Shari Baloch killed three Chinese teachers, another person and herself in suicide bombing. In the past the BLA have also targeted Chinese engineers and labourers working on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in shootouts, explosions and ambushes.
In 2020, they attacked the Karachi Stock Exchange, which is partially owned by a Chinese consortium. There was also a BLA attack on the Chinese diplomatic mission in Karachi in 2018.
### **How did Pakistan stake claim over Balochistan?**
Balochistan's independence struggle began in 1947 following the Partition of India. While the Kharan, Makaran and Las Bela princely states in Balochistan merged with Pakistan, Kalat wanted to remain independent. However, eventually Muhammad Ali Jinnah forced the Khan of Kalat to sign the instrument of accession on March 26, 1948. This sparked rebellion with the Khan's brother Prince Abdul Karim leading the first insurgency against Pakistan.
Six years later, Pakistan reorganised its provinces and reduced the autonomy of Balochistan. In 1958, Nawab Nauroz Khan, the Khan of Kalat, declared independence and waged guerilla warfare against Pakistan. A year later, the Khan was promised amnesty if he surrendered. But when he did, they arrested him and his sons. Many of his family members were executed while the Khan died in captivity.
With Bangladesh gaining independence from Pakistan in 1971, the Baloch people too began demanding autonomy but they were suppressed by then Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.