Pakistan Army chief calls militants in Balochistan 'foreign-sponsored proxies' obstructing development

Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir called the militants active in Balochistan 'foreign- proxies' who are engaged in destabilising the restive province.

Key points

• In March 2025, the BLA hijacked a train in Bolan, killing at least 59 individuals and taking hundreds more hostage.
• In May, the BLA carried out a suicide bombing attack on a shuttle train in Quetta, killing at least 47 individuals and injuring 98 others.
• Balochistan has been facing a long-running separatist insurgency led by groups, including the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
• In July, militants attacked a police check post in the Ziarat area, in which 27 policemen were killed.
• Munir stressed that the present and future of Balochistan and Pakistan are "one and forever".

Balochistan has been facing a long-running separatist insurgency led by groups, including the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). It seeks independence for the mineral-rich province.

Munir stressed that the present and future of Balochistan and Pakistan are "one and forever". Without naming any country, he alleged that militants active in the province "are foreign- proxies being employed by hostile elements to destabilise Balochistan, obstruct its development and create a wedge between the state and its people".

Munir remarked the destiny of Balochistan rests only in the hands of its residents.

Insurgents demanding independence for Balochistan have been alleging political marginalisation and exploitation of the province's natural resources by the central administration.

Notably, the Resurgence of Terror in Pakistan The BLA has over recent years stepped up attacks targeting security forces, administration installations, Chinese nationals and projects linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

In January, the group carried out coordinated attacks throughout a number of districts of the province, targeting security installations, administration buildings and civilian areas, resulting in the deaths of at least 31 civilians and 17 security personnel.

In March 2025, the BLA hijacked a train in Bolan, killing at least 59 individuals and taking hundreds more hostage. US blocks Pakistan-China bid to blacklist BLA, Majeed Brigade at UNSC.

Taken together, the developments around pakistan Army chief calls militants in Balochistan ' foreign- proxies' obstructing development point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.