Fatima Baloch
Today, the Pakistan Army is embroiled in a brutal insurgency in its key provinces-Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK). This internal conflict will undoubtedly impact India’s national security in the near future.
Notably, following the Indian military’s Operation Sindhoor on 7 May 2025 during the Indo-Pakistan War of 2025, a defeated and frustrated Pakistan began labeling the Baloch national armed struggle as “Fitnatul-Hindustan” (the Hypocritical Force of India), insinuating that the Baloch movement for a free and independent Balochistan is orchestrated by India. This narrative gained further traction after the Pahalgam attack on 22 April, when India was preparing its forces for retaliation. During this period, Baloch fighters intensified their insurgency by ambushing Pakistani security forces across Balochistan-in a gesture of moral solidarity with India.
Even during and after Operation Sindhoor, Baloch freedom fighters continued their struggle, hoping that India would act as decisively as it did in 1971. However, this hope was dampened when India agreed to a ceasefire, which many Baloch viewed as a strategic setback.
Yet, the Baloch people have waged their own resistance since the Pakistani occupation of Balochistan on 27 March 1948-without direct Indian involvement. History has shown that when India offers genuine support to a liberation movement, it can lead to the birth of new nations-as in 1971, when India helped dismember Pakistan despite pressure from the UN Security Council, the OIC, and even military threats from the United States.
Now, India must adopt a more assertive moral and strategic stance in support of the Baloch cause-not just out of regional responsibility, but to safeguard its own national interests. The Baloch are currently bearing the brunt of Pakistan’s retaliation after Operation Sindhoor. Failure to support them now could allow China to expand its footprint in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), transforming it into a trade and military corridor into the Middle East-posing a direct threat to Indian sovereignty and influence.
In Pakistan-occupied Balochistan, a secular and moderate nationalist movement has endured since partition, consistently resisting Islamabad’s centralized control. In contrast, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the extremist Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has seized large territories and is in open conflict with the Pakistan Army, attempting to impose Afghan Taliban-style Sharia law. Should the army lose to TTP, it would spark a new security nightmare for India, as the group could expand its religious extremism into PoK and initiate a full-scale holy war against India.
Despite four major military operations launched by Pakistan in 1948, 1956, 1974, and the current campaign, the Baloch resistance remains unbroken. These crackdowns have only galvanized their demand for independence. To suppress Baloch identity, the Pakistani state has weaponized religious extremism, denied the Baloch their linguistic and cultural rights, and empowered feudal loyalists-Sardars and Nawabs-while plundering natural resources such as gold, oil, gas, and iron ore for the benefit of Punjab, leaving the local population impoverished.
The state has employed violent means: demolishing homes, abducting students and activists, using torture, and silencing dissent. Yet, the Baloch people continue to resist with growing resolve.
While earlier revolts-led by Prince Abdul Karim (1948), Babu Nauroz Khan Zehri (1956), and Nawabs Khair Bakhsh Marri and Attaullah Mengal (1974)-were tribal and limited, today’s movement, which gained momentum under General Pervez Musharraf in the early 2000s, is youth-led, secular, and rooted in urban and educated circles. Women have emerged as key participants and voices of resistance.
Leadership has shifted to a new generation: Dr. Mahrang Baloch, Bashir Zaib Baloch, and Dr. Allah Nazar. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has become a highly structured force, with elite units like the Majeed Brigade, Fateh Squad, and an intelligence wing, Zirab, functioning in the style of a professional military.
For the younger generation, Baloch independence is not just an aspiration-it’s seen as inevitable. This belief is reshaping the political landscape of the region.
Meanwhile, Pakistan continues to spiral into a leadership crisis. Its civilian and military elites are incapable of managing the overlapping political, economic, and security catastrophes. The rise of the BLA, Baloch Liberation Front (BLF), and other armed groups, alongside the growing threat of the TTP, points to a deepening national crisis.
Previously, the Pakistan military denied the BLA’s existence during operations in Dera Bugti and Kohlu. Today, they openly recognize it as a major threat-reflecting the same pattern of denial and eventual acceptance seen before the creation of Bangladesh in 1971.
History has repeatedly proven that military force cannot extinguish long-standing, popular resistance movements. Sustainable peace arises through inclusion and justice-not repression. Marginalization and state violence only strengthen the will to resist.
Countries like Russia, India, and China-despite facing internal insurgencies in Chechnya, Kashmir, and Tibet-have sought stability through investments in healthcare, education, and infrastructure. These welfare-based strategies, coupled with limited counter-insurgency, have diluted separatist support.
By contrast, Pakistan’s reliance on enforced disappearances, media censorship, and resource exploitation has only strengthened Baloch resolve. The BLA now stands as a symbol of resistance and national pride.
If Pakistan genuinely seeks national unity and peace, it must abandon its military-first doctrine and embrace inclusive governance, economic reform, and political justice. Without such change, the Baloch conflict will only escalate, threatening Pakistan’s very cohesion.
Conclusion and Recommendations
As a neighboring power, India cannot afford to remain a silent observer to Pakistan’s unraveling internal situation. The growing influence of the TTP and the deteriorating conditions in PoK-which is home to Sufi and Shia communities-present serious strategic threats.
Key questions must be asked:
* Will the people of PoK accept TTP’s radical vision of Sharia law?
* Can TTP be expected to abandon its long-standing hostility toward India?
* Is India prepared to counter such threats with the clarity and resolve of countries like Israel?
* Should the secular Baloch nation continue to suffer oppression while India offers only symbolic gestures?
A nuclear-armed Pakistan under TTP control would pose one of the gravest threats to South Asia’s stability. At the same time, Islamabad’s hold over Balochistan continues to weaken. Resistance groups like the BLA and BLF are gaining strength and legitimacy, and the region is facing severe humanitarian challenges.
In this context, India should take bold diplomatic steps-much like the Russian Federation has done in Afghanistan-and recognize the Taliban-led Afghan government to foster regional cooperation. Through joint initiatives in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and defense, India and Afghanistan can also begin to address the Baloch humanitarian crisis.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s repeated cross-border violations on Afghan territory along the Durand Line are inflaming anti-Pakistan sentiment in Kabul, further destabilizing the region. A unified, regional approach is essential.
India has historically raised the Baloch issue on international platforms. Now is the time to translate symbolic support into concrete action. Like its role in Bangladesh’s liberation in 1971, India has both the moral obligation and strategic imperative to assist the Baloch in their struggle for self-determination.
A TTP-dominated Pakistan will further radicalize the Kashmir conflict and embolden extremist narratives like Ghazwa-e-Hind. In contrast, an independent, secular Balochistan could become a stabilizing force in South Asia and a critical strategic ally for India.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
