https://web.stanford.edu/group/mappi...roups/view/297
Narrative Summary
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) is a Balochi ethnonationalist militant organization fighting against the Pakistani government for greater regional autonomy for the province of Balochistan. [3] [4] [5] Most members are drawn from the Marri or Bugti tribes. It is speculated that the BLA may also be drawing members from political youth activists. [6] Although the group officially was founded in 2000, the media along with some analysts speculate that the group is a resurgence of prior Baloch ethnonationalist insurgencies, and more specifically the Independent Balochistan Movement of 1973 to 1977.
The BLA formed in the summer of 2000 in response to growing resentment in Balochistan over the perceived government monopoly of Balochistan’s natural resources and unequal allocation of jobs to Punjabis over Balochi natives. [[13] [14] The organization was first recognized after they claimed credit for a series of bombings in markets and railways targeting Pakistani soldiers and police. [15]Throughout the rest of the summer, the BLA claimed eight more attacks. These attacks targeted Pakistani military locations and personnel using mortar strikes, typical of the BLA’s small scale bombings that persist till present. [16] Following its founding, the BLA’s activities, particularly from 2000-2003, are undocumented. However, in May 2003, the BLA carried out a string of attacks, killing police and non-native Baloch residents. The following year the BLA attacked Chinese foreign workers that were involved in government sponsored mega-development projects, which lead to increased media coverage on the group and signaled the groups willingness to go after foreigners to draw Pakistani government attention. [17] [18] The Pakistani government responded to these attacks by mobilizing an estimated 20,000 additional troops to Balochistan. [19]
Despite the government’s military presence, the BLA’s attacks continued throughout 2003 and into the summer of 2004 with car bombs and numerous IED attacks. In 2005, the group carried out an attack on Camp Kohlu, which at the time was housing the visiting Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. The Pakistani government designated the attack against Camp Kohlu as an attempt against the president’s life and led the . government to label the BLA as a terrorist organization in 2006. [20] Additionally, the Pakistani government began to more actively target the BLA, particularly alleged BLA leaders. This strategy is still in use by Pakistani security forces today. [21] [22] [23] On August 26, 2006, the government killed alleged leader Sardar Akbar Khan Bugti and on November 21, 2007, it killed Mir Balaach Marri. [24] [25] [26] [27] The two alleged leaders were considered to be some of the most influential people in Balochistan and the attacks, according to the Pakistani Human Rights Commission, may have been formulated to incite more attacks by the BLA, which could be used by the government to justify further intervention in Balochistan. [28]
Around the same time, the Pakistani government gave rights to the port of Gwadar, located in southern Balochistan, to China on a forty-year lease. The BLA and many Balochis interpreted the lease as another Pakistani government effort to colonize Balochistan. [29] The deal was publically used by the BLA to further support its claims that the Pakistani government is trying to colonize Balochistan.
In September of 2008, the BLA, the Balochistan Liberation Front, and the Baloch Republican Army, and Pakistan declared a ceasefire. The ceasefire was made with the understanding that the Pakistan government would meet with the three groups for negotiations. However, the ceasefire was ended by the BLA in January 2009 because it was upset that the Pakistani government had made no meaningful attempts to begin negotiations. [30] [31] On April 15, 2009 during an interview on AAJ TV, alleged leader Brahamdagh Khan Bugti urged Balochi people to kill any non-native Balochi residing in Balochistan whether they were military or civilian. [32] Following Bugti’s interview, targeted killings of Punjabi civilians broke out in Balochistan. The BLA claimed credit for inciting the violence, but it is unclear if the killings were carried out by Balochi residents “answering the call” or if the killings were carried out directly by the BLA. According to the BLA an estimated 500 Punjabis were killed following the interview. Many of the Punjabi killed were multi-generational residents of Balochistan. [33] In addition to ethnic cleansing from 2009-2012, the BLA continued to carry out various attacks against Pakistani government affiliates including military personnel, policemen, government officials, and school teachers.
In 2013, the BLA claimed responsibility for the attack on the historic summer home of the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s, a national heritage site. Following the natural death of alleged leader Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri In 2014, Marri’s six sons fought over the leadership of the BLA, it is believed that three of the sons left the BLA to help create a splinter group called the United Baloch Army. The feuding brothers have not been identified and there is little information on which brothers took part in the two organizations. [38] Since then, the BLA has continued their operations against the Pakistani government and has recently begun to carry out attacks against the United Baloch Army.
Leadership
The BLA does not publicize their leaders and most alleged leaders actively deny affiliation. It has been speculated by analysts that the BLA’s leadership is made up of Marri and Bugti tribe members.
1.Brahamdagh Khan Bugti (Unknown to Unknown): Brahamdagh Bugti was an alleged BLA leader who is most known for calling for the killing of all non-native residents of Balochistan in a live TV interview. Pakistani government alleged that after leaving the BLA he helped bring back the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF).[40]
2.Bijar Khan (Unknown to Unknown): An alleged leader of the BLA, Khan was killed in a government raid operation that took place in July. [41]
3.Mir Balaach Marri (Unknown to November 21, 2007): 1. Mir Balaach Marri (unknown-November 21, 2007): Marri, a former provincial parliament member, allegedly used his political influence to gain support from the community for the BLA. It is unclear when he may have taken control of the BLA. Pakistani security forces carried out numerous attacks against Marri and he was eventually killed by what was believed to be a Pakistani security forces operation on November 21, 2007. [42]
4.Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri (Unknown to August 2014): Nawab Marri was involved with the 1970’s insurgency in Balochistan and has been called “the godfather” of the Baloch armed movement and a key figure in the organization until he died from natural caused in June 2014.[43]
5.Sardar Akbar Khan Bugti (2000 to August 26, 2006): Bugti was the former Chief Minister of Balochistan. He is considered one of the grandfathers of the organization and was killed by a Pakistani security forces operation on August 26, 2006. [44]
Ideology & Goals
•Ethno-nationalist separatist
The BLA seeks greater regional autonomy of Balochistan from Pakistan. The group believes that the foundation that Pakistan was built on, that all Muslims are created equal, is wrong and that, instead, ethnic identity takes precedence over religious identity. [45] Further, the BLA believes that the central government of Pakistan inequitably distributes profits from natural resources in the region and jobs to Punjabis.
Size Estimates
•500 (Institute for the Study of Violent Groups) [46]
•1,000-2,000 (Unconventional Warfare in South Asia: Shadow Warriors and Counterinsurgency) [47]
•6,000 (BLA Official Twitter Feed) [48]
