ISLAMABAD — On Tuesday, the Prime Minister of Pakistan greenlit a long-anticipated “comprehensive military operation” aimed at separatist factions in the turbulent southwest region of the country. This decision follows a deadly incident that occurred over a week ago, where a terrorist group carried out a suicide bombing that resulted in the deaths of 26 individuals at a train station, according to officials.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s declaration to initiate an operation “against terrorist organizations” in Balochistan came after the government’s security committee convened in Islamabad. A suicide bomber from the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) detonated explosives at a train station in Quetta on November 9, claiming numerous lives, most of whom were military personnel.
A statement from Sharif’s office indicated that the operation would target the BLA among other militant groups, although it did not specify a start date for the military campaign. The statement accused these groups of “targeting innocent civilians and foreign nationals with the intention of hindering Pakistan’s economic development by creating an atmosphere of insecurity, influenced by hostile external entities.”
Militant violence has escalated in recent months within Balochistan and the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, with most attacks attributed to the banned BLA and the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The recent bombing in Quetta marked the deadliest attack since August, when coordinated assaults by separatists across Balochistan took the lives of over 50 individuals.
Balochistan, rich in oil and minerals, is noted as Pakistan’s largest province in terms of area, yet has one of the smallest populations. It serves as a focal point for the ethnic Baloch minority, which claims to face systemic discrimination and exploitation at the hands of the central government.
The BLA predominantly focuses its attacks on security personnel and foreign nationals, particularly Chinese workers engaged in projects under China’s multi-billion dollar Belt and Road Initiative. The BLA has demanded an immediate cessation of all Chinese-funded initiatives and has called for the withdrawal of Chinese workers from Pakistan to mitigate the risks of further violence.
On the same day, a suicide car bomber targeted a security post in Bannu, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as reported by local police official Irfan Kahn. He mentioned that gunfire was heard in the vicinity, prompting multiple ambulances to respond to the scene; however, he did not provide additional details about casualties resulting from the incident.
This attack occurred shortly after Pakistani security forces engaged in a raid on a militant hideout in the northwestern district of Tirah, leading to a gun battle that resulted in the deaths of at least 10 insurgents along with several others injured.