Baloch Raji Aajoi Sangar (BRAS), an umbrella organisation of “pro-independence” armed groups, which have been waging a war against Pakistan for independent of Balochistan, has announced a major restructuring of its military and diplomatic strategy. BRAS has declared that it will unify its forces under a centralized command and intensify operations against Pakistan and China in Balochistan.
In a statement released on March 2, BRAS spokesperson Baloch Khan said a high-level meeting was held with senior delegates from three Baloch nationalist groups, namely, 1. Baloch Liberation Army (BLA); 2. Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF); and 3. Baloch Republican Guards (BRG). The meeting had delegates from Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army (SRA) also as part of the deliberations, he said. Significantly, it is for the first time that rebels from Sindh have joined hands with the Baloch rebel groups, according to a report in The Balochistan Post.
Incidentally, it needs to be mentioned here that discontent is simmering in Sindh for a long time now but the Federal government has been able to keep a firm lid on it. However, recent developments pertaining to canal waters of Indus which favour dominant Punjab province has created a lot of discontent in Sindh. Even at official levels, President Asif Zardari, a Sindhi, has conveyed his displeasure regarding the developments to Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
The meeting of the Baloch and Sindhi nationalists lasted three days, during which “important decisions were made to enter the Baloch national movement into a decisive phase”. The statement said BRAS would soon take the form of a “Baloch National Army,” establishing new committees and departments to bring the “leadership and activists of various organizations under a unified military structure”. The merger of various rebel Baloch groups will help in force multiplication.
According to BRAS, the goal is to transform what it called “scattered operations” into “an organized, coordinated and decisive force,” a move aimed at becoming what BRAS described as an “invincible wall” against the “occupying enemy”. BRAS had tried to bring various groups agitating against the exploitation of natural resources of Balochistan for the betterment of Pakistan but not succeeded. As part of this strategy to stop exploitation of its resources, various Baloch groups have often targeted coal mines, copper mines and the machinery used for their extraction.
BRAS explained that immediate efforts would begin at the grassroots level to strengthen and expand the military foundations of its member groups across Balochistan, shifting from “scattered guerrilla attacks to an organized and coordinated resistance”. This unification can help in targeting Pakistani security forces simultaneously at any given time and this can prove to be deadlier for occupiers (read Pakistan and China), the group has said.
The statement said, “further intensity and innovation” would be introduced in the war against Pakistan and China, with guerrilla operations modernised to inflict heavier losses on “enemy forces”. As part of this wider plan, various Baloch rebel groups have targeted convoys moving on highways in the countryside all over Balochistan, and inflicted damage on official vehicles.
It added that this reorganization includes systematically weakening Pakistani intelligence networks, targeting military positions, and undermining war infrastructure. A “comprehensive roadmap” has been drawn, the group claimed, to “eliminate the intelligence dominance” of the “enemy”. Incidentally, the Pakistani security forces have not been able to gather intelligence against the Baloch rebels and launch what they called Intelligence Based Operations (IBO).
BRAS announced plans to intensify resistance against the “looting of Baloch resources” and what it described as the “exploitative projects of Pakistani and Chinese capitalists.” As part of this strategy, the group said that road blockades across all major highways in Balochistan will be escalated to disrupt the logistical, economic, and military interests of the “occupying state.” In a recent incident, the Baloch rebels had set up road blockade and disarmed the security personnel accompanying a Member of National Assembly (MNA) of ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). While all the weapons were snatched, the MNA was left unharmed by the rebels saying they were letting him off as he was a “fellow Baloch’’. The video of this incident had become viral within hours of the incident.
A new strategy is being formulated on the diplomatic front to raise the “Baloch national issue” on the global stage. BRAS said it will launch a campaign to present, in international forums, what it called “atrocities” by the Pakistani and Chinese states, including “Baloch genocide, enforced disappearances, military aggression, and colonial projects”. The main thrust of this campaign would be to tell the world that resources of Balochistan were not being used for giving anything to the locals and being taken away by Pakistan with the help of China.
The group added that it will focus on strengthening ties with diplomatic institutions, human rights bodies, and “various global forces,” aiming to secure broader international attention and support. BRAS also pledged to modernize its “resistance media,” strengthen ties with international media organizations, and bolster its social media presence in order to counter what it described as “enemy propaganda” and clarify the aims of the Baloch movement.
In the statement, BRAS emphasized the ideological, intellectual, and military training of its fighters, noting that each combatant would be prepared “not only in enhanced military techniques but also in national ideology, revolutionary politics, and colonial strategies”. Most Baloch rebel groups are inspired by leftist ideologies and drawn strength from globally recognised names like Che Guevera and others. This is why they have not joined hands with the rightist and hardcore Islamist group like Tehrik Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Overall, the Baloch and Sindhi rebel groups are secular in that sense, not given to pursuing hardline Islam or its propagation.
BRAS has said the movement must unite all freedom fighters under a single goal of Baloch national liberation, rather than following any one group’s agenda, or ideals. The statement added that this ideology “can give rise to an invincible movement” as all groups join hands in pursuit of a single goal, the freedom of Balochistan from Pakistan occupation.
BRAS further claimed it would refine guerrilla warfare tactics to minimize its own losses and maximize the impact on Pakistani forces. The group said strategic operations are underway to put Pakistan under “increased pressure,” and that future attacks would be carried out with “higher precision”. It reaffirmed a commitment to uniting other “resistance groups” under one command, insisting the national liberation struggle should take priority over factionalism.
The alliance declared that “the only guarantee of Baloch national liberation is the establishment of a united, organized and invincible national army.” Calling scattered military efforts insufficient, it argued that Baloch forces must unite under “organized military leadership” to overcome any conspiracies by the enemy and push Baloch national liberation closer to reality.
The statement concluded by warning that “no foreign power, including China” would be allowed to exploit Baloch resources in collaboration with Pakistan. BRAS said the occupation of these resources was “unacceptable under any circumstances” and threatened to target any company or investor entering economic agreements with the Pakistani state. It claimed that the movement was entering a “decisive phase” marked by “increased intensity and innovation,” which it believes will make Baloch national liberation an “inevitable reality”.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) leader and former Federal Interior Minister of Pakistan Rana Sanaullah on Monday warned that armed groups could “descend from the mountains” and seize control of Balochistan if security measures are not strengthened in the region. He is considered close to Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and is working as his advisor at present.
Speaking to the media, Rana Sanaullah described the security situation in Balochistan as “alarming” and said strict action against militants is inevitable. He argued that bolstering the military presence is crucial to preserving national security and countering potential threats. His remarks have drawn mixed reactions from political figures and the public, with some analysts suggesting they reflect broader political and law-and-order issues in Balochistan. There was no immediate response from other Pakistani officials.
