Pakistan’s military has launched intelligence-based operations in the southwestern Balochistan province, responding to a wave of deadly attacks by insurgents that claimed the lives of over 50 people this week. The army announced on Friday that five insurgents were killed and three others wounded in three separate operations conducted in the province.
The military statement emphasized that the operations would continue until all those involved in the attacks, including perpetrators, facilitators, and abettors, are brought to justice. Earlier this week, ethnic Baloch insurgents carried out a coordinated series of attacks targeting both civilian and military installations. The army retaliated, reporting the killing of 21 militants.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for one of the deadliest attacks in recent years. The BLA aims to achieve secession for the resource-rich Balochistan province, which is home to significant China-led projects, including a deep-water port and a gold and copper mine.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has condemned the attacks, stating they were intended to disrupt the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). CPEC is a massive $65 billion infrastructure development project encompassing roads, railways, and ports. It is a key component of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Beijing has also strongly condemned the attacks. The attacks highlight the ongoing security challenges facing Pakistan and the potential for unrest in Balochistan, a region strategically important for China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
