Tensions between Baloch insurgents and the Pakistani state have once again erupted into open conflict in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. Around 12 noon IST today, Baloch fighters launched a fierce attack in Mastung, a town located 40 kilometers from the provincial capital, Quetta.
Bomb Blasts and Buildings Torched in Mastung
According to visuals and photos emerging from the scene, the attack began with a bomb detonated inside the Mastung Tehsil office, which was soon engulfed in flames. Apart from the Tehsil office, Baloch insurgents also set fire to two banks and several other government buildings. This attack mirrors a similar incident on May 31, when Baloch insurgents stormed Mastung, torched police stations and government offices, and held control over significant parts of the town for nearly 48 hours. Today’s violence is seen as a continuation of that offensive.
According to Baloch officials, gunfire is still being reported from Mastung as Pakistani security forces engage with the insurgents. Visuals from the region confirm that heavy clashes are ongoing. Shahid Rind, spokesperson for the Balochistan government, confirmed that two Baloch insurgents have been killed so far, and three others injured. Tragically, a 16-year-old local boy has also died in the violence, and eight civilians are critically wounded. While the government claims the boy was killed by insurgent fire, activists linked to the Baloch movement allege that he was shot by security forces. In response to the escalating situation, additional troops are being deployed to Mastung and surrounding areas.
Suspicion Falls on BLA or BLF; ISI’s Role Raises Concerns
So far, no Baloch insurgent group has claimed responsibility for the Mastung attack, but it is widely believed to have been carried out by either the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) or the Baloch Liberation Force (BLF). The Baloch insurgency has long protested the Pakistani state’s repression, resource exploitation, and alleged military atrocities. The renewed violence in Mastung underscores that the flame of the Baloch movement is far from extinguished; in fact, it appears to be intensifying, fuelled by the actions of Pakistan’s military and intelligence agency, the ISI.
There are also growing incidents of Pakistan’s notorious spy agency ISI targeting dissenting Baloch leaders either through enforced disappearances or extrajudicial killings. The ISI is also believed to be using notorious groups like Shafiq Mengal’s death squad to eliminate peaceful Baloch nationalists in the region. Adding another layer of complexity, an ISIS terror training facility is reportedly located in Mastung under the direct supervision of the ISI. Last month, ISIS declared war on Baloch insurgents, raising fears of a new proxy front being opened in the region under the cover of state-sponsored militancy.
