What Fuels Militancy in Balochistan?

Zainab Chaudhary

Islamabad: Liberation movements often arise from deeply rooted feelings of marginalisation — of being denied a rightful place in a state’s political, economic, and cultural framework.

These movements usually reflect a collective yearning for self-determination, grounded in distinct ethnic, linguistic, or cultural identities.

In federal states like Pakistan, where provinces possess rich yet diverse historical narratives, such sentiments can become particularly intense when communities perceive persistent underrepresentation or neglect within the national structure.

In Balochistan, these grievances have endured for decades. Many in the province believe they have been denied equitable access to development, representation, and essential services despite Balochistan’s immense strategic and economic importance.

According to them, it is within this context that the rise of nationalist and separatist groups such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) must be understood.

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However, the methods employed by such organisations — particularly the use of violence — demand critical reflection. The question is not only whether these actions can be justified in the pursuit of self-determination, but also who truly benefits from this recurring cycle of militancy.

The pattern of violence associated with BLA activities has become tragically familiar: an attack occurs, the state condemns it, promises of improved security follow, and then a brief calm — until the cycle begins anew. These incidents often dominate headlines, but the deeper question remains largely unexplored:

What are the long-term consequences for the Baloch people themselves?

While the BLA claims to defend the rights and dignity of the Baloch population, its violent tactics often yield the opposite effect. Daily life is disrupted, job opportunities shrink, and citizens live under constant threat.

Militancy, by its very nature, does not empower communities; it breeds fear, impedes economic development, and isolates regions from national and international engagement.

Balochistan is central to Pakistan’s strategic and economic future, serving as the heartland of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

This makes the province’s unrest more than a domestic concern — it has international ramifications. Attacks on Chinese workers or CPEC infrastructure reverberate far beyond Pakistan’s borders, undermining diplomatic relations and investment confidence.

Given this geopolitical significance, the possibility of foreign involvement — whether through direct support or indirect manipulation — cannot be dismissed.

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History shows that proxy conflicts often thrive in regions where state control is contested. To ignore the likelihood of external interests exploiting Balochistan’s instability would be naïve in today’s era of strategic competition.

Yet, while militant actions deserve condemnation, the state’s response also warrants scrutiny. Allegations of enforced disappearances, heavy-handed crackdowns, and opaque justice mechanisms have eroded public trust.

Such actions create fertile ground for insurgent narratives, portraying the state as oppressive and unaccountable.

This has created a dangerous feedback loop: insurgent violence provokes state repression, which in turn fuels further resentment and justifies renewed militancy. In this struggle, it is the ordinary citizens who bear the heaviest burden — caught between armed groups and state power, with little hope of justice or relief.

Perhaps the most unsettling dimension of this conflict is the suspicion that some within political or security circles may quietly benefit from a sustained state of unrest.

Prolonged conflict can justify expanded security budgets, reinforce political narratives centred on national security, and allow major projects to bypass local consultation under the pretext of “stability.”

These realities raise uncomfortable but necessary questions:

Is there a genuine commitment to resolving the crisis, or merely an attempt to manage it?

Is the goal lasting peace, or simply maintaining control?

If Balochistan is to find a sustainable path to peace and progress, all sides must confront these hard truths. The state must recognise that intelligence operations and military solutions alone cannot address deeply rooted ideological and political grievances.

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Rebuilding trust requires transparency, justice, and an inclusive political framework that ensures Baloch citizens feel genuinely represented and respected.

At the same time, militant groups must acknowledge that violence only deepens the suffering of those they claim to serve. Burning bridges — both literally and metaphorically — will never bring recognition or autonomy.

Ultimately, the people of Balochistan deserve transparency and truth. They have the right to know whether their land is being developed for their prosperity or merely exploited for the gain of external actors and political elites.

Until these core questions are addressed openly and honestly, the true beneficiaries of Balochistan’s conflict will remain hidden — while its people continue to pay the price in plain sight.

Zainab Chaudhary graduated in Defence and Strategic Studies from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad. Her research interests include cyber security, strategic affairs, and regional security dynamics.

The article is the writer’s opinion, it may or may not adhere to the organization’s editorial policy.