Fighters launched synchronized strikes in more than 14 cities, overwhelming security installations and asserting control over strategic points. BLA spokesperson Jiyand Baloch revealed that their forces held ground for six consecutive days in some areas, compelling Pakistani units to fall back under pressure.

Casualty figures touted by the group paint a grim picture for Islamabad: over 362 killed from various security branches, alongside captures of 17 personnel who were subsequently freed. Remaining detainees, the BLA says, will be prosecuted for atrocities linked to genocide and war crimes in Balochistan.

The threefold objectives—proving prowess in urban warfare, fostering communal trust in the resistance, and dismantling the myth of unchallenged Pakistani authority—were all fulfilled, per the militants. This escalation comes against a backdrop of rampant bloodshed, forced vanishings, and crackdowns that have long plagued the region.

With the BLA refusing to rule out more such actions, Balochistan remains a powder keg, testing Pakistan’s counterinsurgency strategies and drawing international scrutiny to the human rights crisis at its core.

Published by the Gatestone Institute, the document zeroes in on Pakistan’s overt preference for Iran amid US-Israel tensions, particularly over Gaza. This predisposition reveals deep-seated unreliability on pivotal global flashpoints.

Decades of history bolster this Iran-Pakistan axis. Pakistan withheld recognition from Israel post-1948. Conversely, it swiftly endorsed Iran’s Islamic Republic after the 1979 revolution, becoming the pioneer in doing so. Iran reciprocated early goodwill by recognizing Pakistan first in 1947. Their economic interdependence is robust, with trade volumes hitting $2.8 billion annually.

Brotherly rhetoric masks aligned agendas. Both countries frame their bond around mutual regional stakes. Balochistan serves as a litmus test: Iran and Pakistan equally dread Baloch separatist fervor as an existential peril to sovereignty.

High-level talks in November 2024 between IRGC’s Hossein Salami and Pakistan’s General Asim Munir sealed pledges to combat Baloch militants jointly. China’s shadow looms large, amplifying this pact via the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor—a Belt and Road cornerstone—Iran covets integration into.

For US policymakers, the message is unequivocal: Pakistan’s entanglements erode its value as an ally. Revoking MNNA perks isn’t optional; it’s imperative. As Washington navigates a multipolar world, betting on fickle partners like Pakistan risks strategic blunders. Time to pivot toward steadfast alliances that safeguard national security.

The Baloch National Movement’s Human Rights Department, Paank, detailed the recent incidents. On October 29, Hamza Baloch, a laborer from Khuzdar district, was reportedly abducted by a Pakistan-backed death squad and subsequently handed over to the Pakistani army. His body, bearing bullet wounds, was discovered five days later in the Awaran district.

In a separate incident, Bahad Baloch, from Kulaho village in Kech district, was allegedly murdered by members of Pakistan-backed death squads. His body was found on November 1 and taken to Turbat Civil Hospital. Reports suggest he was robbed of his belongings before being killed, with perpetrators attempting to stage the scene as a suicide. Paank is demanding accountability for these alleged war crimes and is calling for the international community to halt funding to Pakistan, arguing that such resources are misused to perpetuate human rights abuses in Balochistan.

Adding to the concerns, a young fisherman, Asif Hasil, was reportedly forcibly disappeared on Monday evening from a check-post in Gwadar by personnel from Pakistan’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and intelligence agencies. This abduction followed a midnight raid on his home where family phones were confiscated. Paank emphasizes that these systematic human rights violations are deeply traumatizing the Baloch population and urges for international intervention to hold the Pakistani state accountable.

This was not a skirmish. It was a high impact and sophisticated operation – codenamed ‘Darra-e-Bolan 2.0 – that sent a shockwave across the Pakistani establishment.

With 450 people on board, the train was hijacked by BLA fighters who first blew up the rail tracks in Balochistan. They literally held Pakistan and its military establishment hostage during the two-day siege. More than 200 officials, who included personnel from armed forces, police and other government departments, were held hostage and the “invincible” state was left scrambling in panic.

Ever ready to paper over its failures, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), describing the incident a “barbaric bloodbath”, claimed the BLA rebels suffered heavy casualties. However, the recent video tells a completely different story.

The clip reveals a disciplined, calculated and calm operation. It shows the storming of the train – from pre-mission briefings to combat training. The footage showcases the elite fidayeen unit of the BLA carrying out a textbook mission. Elderly, children and women passengers can be seen being safely evacuated – busting Pakistan’s propaganda that the BLA acted indiscriminately.

Echoing the determination and desperation of a people crushed under decades of Pakistan military oppression, the video starts with a powerful statement, “Our struggle and war has come to a point where we are to take such critical decisions…. A gun is needed to halt the gun.”

Monitoring:

Baloch Liberation Army media #Hakkal published video of the #JaffarExpress Hijack (Operation Darra-E-Bolan 2.0)#Balochistan pic.twitter.com/ClxM6VIOsy — Bahot | باہوٹ (@bahot_baluch) May 18, 2025

It was not a rhetoric. With every man briefed on his objective and positioning, the BLA fidaeen fighters being prepped for war. There were not just rogue elements; they were trained insurgents with a clear mission – deliver a brutal message to the occupying Pakistani state.

Pakistan had claimed that the security forces killed 33 rebels during the siege – which ended in 30 hours. However, the BLA says it eliminated all 214 Pakistani military hostages who were captured during the hijack that is considered to be a devastating blow to Pakistan’s credibility and control in Balochistan.

The BLA doubled down while Pakistan tried to bury the operation under lies – showing messages, names and faces of its Majeed Brigade – which had carried out the attack. They emerged prepared for more, proud and defiant – far from being decimated.

More than a documentation of an operation, the video footage is a public relations nightmare for Pakistan. It is a reminder that Balochistan is not silent and that the people of Balochistan are far from defeated.

The footage is explosive, not just in content but in consequences, for a state built on militarised control, forced disappearances and censorship.