Pakistan’s ethnic militants seeking secession include Baloch rebels and Sindhi nationalists challenging Islamabad’s control.

Separatist militants from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) launched a series of coordinated attacks in Pakistan’s Balochistan province on Monday, resulting in at least 39 deaths. This represents one of the most extensive assaults by ethnic insurgents in recent years. The BLA, which seeks an independent Balochistan, has long opposed the central government, accusing it of exploiting the province’s abundant gas and mineral resources. Balochistan, rich in resources such as the Reko Diq gold and copper mines, is strategically significant. The province also hosts key projects managed by foreign companies, including those from China. The BLA has frequently targeted Chinese interests, including the strategic Gwadar port, which it accuses Beijing of using to exploit Balochistan. The group has also attacked Pakistani infrastructure and security posts, including a notable assault on the Pakistan Stock Exchange in Karachi. The BLA’s recent attacks included raids on military bases in 2022 and a navy base later that year. They have expanded their tactics to include women suicide bombers, exemplified by an attack on Chinese nationals at a university in Karachi. Additionally, the BLA has been involved in cross-border tensions, with both Pakistan and Iran accusing each other of harboring militant bases and launching retaliatory strikes. The ongoing insurgency has created significant instability in Balochistan, a province with a population of about 15 million people. The conflict has also sparked protests in the capital, Islamabad, and in Balochistan itself, where residents accuse security forces of human rights abuses, including enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. The Pakistani government has denied these allegations. Balochistan’s strategic location, with its coastline near the Gulf’s Strait of Hormuz oil shipping lane, further underscores the importance of resolving the insurgency to secure the province’s resources and stability.