BLA shifts tactics, targets workers on China projects in Balochistan

The Story in Brief

The Balochistan Liberation Army has escalated its campaign against Chinese investments by directly threatening workers, contractors and engineers on projects in the region, Indian officials tracking the insurgency told The Hans India. The group recently ambushed Pakistani soldiers in Mastung district, killing over a dozen. Intelligence officials say the BLA is deliberately changing tactics to keep security forces off balance. After initially targeting infrastructure, then attacking troops, it now aims to intimidate labour into fleeing Chinese-linked sites.

Pakistani authorities have tried to convince locals that Chinese projects will benefit Balochistan, but officials say trust eroded long ago. The establishment’s promises ring hollow while the army chief orders both soothing words and crackdowns, one official noted. The BLA has also built a women’s suicide squad, further confounding Pakistani security forces who cannot predict the group’s next move.