5 things about Balochistan Liberation Army, the 'freedom fighters' trying to take Quetta from Pakistan

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), the separatist group fighting to establish a Baluch/Baloch state in Pakistan, made news recently when they hijacked the Jaffar Express, a Pakistani passenger train travelling from Quetta to Peshawar. 64 lives, including all 33 militants, were lost by the time the Pakistan military managed to end the hostage crisis. 

 

Amidst the ongoing Indo-Pak tensions, a video surfaced on the internet that showed a utility vehicle carrying Pakistani military personnel being taken out. Claiming, responsibility for the blast, BLA said that Islamabad lost 14 soldiers in the incident.

 

Pakistan has accused New Delhi of funding and supporting the BLA, which has been designated as a terrorist organisation by many countries including the United States, China and Iran. Here are five things you may like to know about the Balochistan Liberation Army, which remains a perennial headache to the Pakistani military:

 

 

1. The lion's share of BLA fighters come from the Marri and Bugti tribal communities. They want greater regional autonomy for the province of Balochistan. Founded in 2000, BLA dreams of creating a "sovereign state of Greater Balochistan", bringing together parts of Pakistan, Iranian and Afghanistan Balochistan territories.

 

2. The State of Pakistan believes that all Muslims are created equal. BLA is against this way of thought and emphasises ethnic identity should take precedence over religious identity, a report by mappingmilitants.com claimed.

 

3. According to the report, BLA "is the oldest and the most dangerous among all Baloch groups currently active in the region." They hold the Pakistani government responsible for exploiting the region's natural resources while depriving the Baloch people of any dividends. They demand Islamabad to invest "greater economic resources" and take its abundant resources away.

 

 

4. BLA has vowed to rid the region of Chinese and Pakistani influence. The influence of foreign powers like China is among the reason why Islamabad continue to exploit natural resources in the region, they believe. 

 

5. Crowdfunding is crucial in keeping BLA afloat. They enjoy reasonable support among Baloch people across age groups as they fight for the autonomy and independence of  Balochistan They make generous contributions to ensure BLA’s income and weapons supply never suffers. It is also reportedly believed that the BLA has managed to fetch weapons leftover from conflicts in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran.

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