The "Balochistan Liberation Army," also known as the "Balochistan National Army," is an armed separatist organization aiming to establish a sovereign Baloch state and conduct attacks against the Pakistani military. The group first gained notoriety in the summer of 2000 after claiming responsibility for a series of bombings, and in 2006, it was designated a terrorist organization by both the Pakistani and British governments, previously known as the "Baloch Republican Army."
In 2022, the "Baloch Republican Army" and the "Balochistan United Army" merged to form the "Balochistan National Army," demanding greater independence for the Balochistan region from Pakistan. Most fighters in the "Balochistan National Army" are from the "Baloch Republican Army," which largely consisted of fighters from the Bugti tribes. This group is among several "Baloch nationalist liberation movements" that includes students from urban areas of Balochistan and a splinter faction from the "Balochistan United Army." It also encompasses an armed separatist group from the neighboring Sindh province known as the "Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army."
The movement calls for the independence of Balochistan from Pakistan and demands larger investments of economic resources in the region and an end to the exploitation of its natural resources. The Baloch rebellion has gained increasing significance with China's involvement in investment in the region, as Baloch movements view Chinese investment as mere occupation and theft of regional resources. Consequently, the "Balochistan National Army" and other Baloch movements have focused on targeting Chinese projects, workers, and interests in Balochistan and other areas.
Leaders of separatist Baloch movements promote a narrative that the Pakistani military "occupies Balochistan and steals its natural resources or distributes them unfairly," along with accusations of "discrimination, providing jobs and positions to other ethnicities in Balochistan, and marginalizing the indigenous Baloch population."
The ideology of the "Balochistan National Army," and most Baloch movements, is primarily based on separatist nationalism, with a belief that Baloch ethnicity and identity take precedence over any religious considerations. According to the Pakistani narrative, Baloch rebel movements receive external support, especially from India and the former Afghan government.
Before its establishment, factions that formed the "Balochistan Liberation Army" executed numerous operations and bombings against Pakistani forces, and attacks continued after its establishment in January 2022, including assaults beyond Balochistan. Notable attacks carried out soon after the formation of the movement included the Lahore attack on January 20, 2022, which resulted in 3 deaths and over 20 injuries—an unusual development as Baloch movements typically focus their attacks within Balochistan or the neighboring Sindh province. In February 2022, the movement executed a series of attacks in the Panjgur and Nushki areas, with assistance from other Baloch groups targeting the Pakistani Frontier Corps in Balochistan.
