Anatomy of synchronised terrorism

2026-02-01 - 22:26

On January 31, 2026, desperate militants of the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) carried out synchronised terrorist attacks on more than a dozen locations across Balochistan. These assaults followed a series of successful intelligence-based operations by security forces that killed dozens of terrorists of the banned outfits known as Fitna al Hindustan. This marked one of the most significant victories against Fitna-al-Hindustan (BLA and other terrorist outfits) in recent weeks. While thwarting these coordinated attacks, Pakistan’s security forces have killed over 133 terrorists, also lost 15 soldiers, martyred in the line of duty. The terrorists also brutally killed 18 Baloch civilian laborers in Gwadar and surrounding areas. These attacks underline the ruthless nature of the terrorists, who have consistently targeted innocent civilians to create fear and instability. The security forces, however, have intensified their operations against all banned outfits linked to Fitna-al-Hindustan and Fitna-al-Khawarij, signaling that the province will not be allowed to remain hostage to terrorism. The synchronised nature of these attacks was clearly intended to project an image of resilience and operational capacity, suggesting that the terrorist networks remain intact and capable of striking both state institutions and civilians. In reality, this was a last-ditch effort by a weakened outfit under severe operational pressure. The swift and decisive response by Pakistan’s security forces foiled these attempts and eliminated militants at multiple locations, reaffirming the state’s resolve to restore peace in the province. The Government of Pakistan envisions Balochistan as a stable and prosperous region where the local population can live without fear and enjoy the dividends of economic development. In this context, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif announced a comprehensive development package for Balochistan on January 8, 2026. The package includes multi-billion-rupee investments in education and infrastructure, notably the Chaman–Karachi (N-25) Highway project costing approximately Rs. 300 billion, several road and infrastructure initiatives, and the establishment of five Daanish Schools. Additionally, $400 million received from the World Bank is being utilized for the rehabilitation of flood-affected areas in the province. The scale and coordination of the recent terrorist attacks indicate meticulous planning, professional training, and external facilitation. Such sophistication points to the involvement of foreign handlers. There is compelling evidence of a nexus involving India, Israel, and Afghanistan, working jointly to promote terrorism in Pakistan. While India and Israel harbor ideological and strategic hostility towards Pakistan, Afghan soil is being exploited as a staging ground for training and logistics. Indian RAW and Israeli Mossad are providing financial support, training, and advanced weaponry to the terrorists of BLA (Fitna-al-Hindustan) and the TTP (Fitna-al-Khawarij). The militants neutralized during these attacks were equipped with modern and sophisticated weapons, that match the arms abandoned by US forces during their withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Similar weapons were recovered from TTP militants, reinforcing concerns about motives of leaving behind this war munitions in Afghanistan in August 2021. The objectives behind the BLA’s recent attacks can be analyzed from multiple angles: first, to convey a message to the state that the group retains trained manpower, including women; second, to intimidate and block local youth who seek mainstream integration and development; third, to sabotage the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the Gwadar Port project; fourth, to terrorize the local population into non-cooperation with the government and security forces; and finally, to synchronize their activities with potential regional escalations involving Iran. CPEC and the operationalization of Gwadar Port are transformative projects that promise unprecedented economic opportunities for Balochistan Province. These initiatives will stimulate economic activity, generate employment, and uplift the living standards of the local population. It is precisely this progress that irritates anti-Pakistan forces. The BLA’s actions clearly contradict its claim of representing Baloch rights. Such acts are fundamentally hostile to the people of Balochistan, as they aim to paralyze economic life and deepen deprivation.The pattern of terrorist violence reveals a broader agenda: to keep Balochistan economically backward, socially isolated, and politically alienated from the rest of the country. This exploitation, carried out in the name of sub-nationalism, aligns with the designs of international forces seeking to destabilize Pakistan from within. These realities must be clearly understood by the people of Balochistan and the nation at large. In the evolving global order, Pakistan finds itself at the crossroads of major power competition. The non-traditional threats manifested through terrorism, hybrid warfare, and narrative manipulation pose serious challenges to national sovereignty and internal stability, particularly in Balochistan. Moving forward, a three-pronged strategy is imperative: first, relentless action against terrorist outfits to eradicate militancy; second, sustained socio-economic engagement with the local population to restore trust in the state; and third, proactive diplomatic efforts to expose the India-Israel-Afghan nexus sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan. Only through such a comprehensive approach can Balochistan be secured as a peaceful, harmonized and prosperous Province of Pakistan. — The writer is Professor of Politics and IR at International Islamic University, Islamabad.