How Baloch resistance is shifting from symbolism to strategy – Firstpost

The Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) has officially concluded Operation Baam, declaring it a historic success and a decisive chapter in the armed resistance against Pakistani occupation. From July 9 to the night of July 11, the operation swept across the length and breadth of Balochistan, targeting military outposts, intelligence networks, and economic infrastructure, leaving in its wake what the BLF describes as “a shattered illusion of colonial control”.

According to BLF, Operation Baam marked the first province-wide offensive of its kind, with 84 coordinated actions carried out across multiple districts—making it the most extensive armed campaign against the occupying Pakistani state in Balochistan to date.

Operation Baam—meaning “first light of dawn” in Balochi—was not just a military campaign but a political and national declaration. It symbolised the arrival of a new, organised phase in the Baloch liberation movement, marked by precision, coordination, and an unflinching challenge to the occupying Pakistani state.

Scale, Strategy, and Execution

According to the final statement issued by Gwahram Baloch, the BLF spokesperson, the operation comprised 84 coordinated attacks across key districts of Balochistan. These included direct assaults on Frontier Corps (FC) and Army personnel, ambushes, drone takedowns, attacks on mineral convoys, and seizures of state checkpoints.

At least 50 Pakistani Army and FC personnel were killed, and more than 51 others were wounded. In Musakhel, nine intelligence operatives linked to Military Intelligence (MI) and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) were killed at a highway checkpoint—an act that sent shockwaves through Pakistan’s intelligence community and demonstrated the BLF’s operational reach.

In the Mand-Tump region alone, sustained blockades and attacks took place across Meerabad, Hothabad, Tagran, and Hairabad, including fierce strikes on military checkpoints at Balicha and Bodigdan. In Sibbi, FC and police posts were attacked, and the Red Zone MI office in Kharan came under direct fire.

The Sarmachars, the Baloch militants, launched widespread sabotage operations against state infrastructure. They established over 22 strategic blockades and dozens of surprise checkpoints across Mand, Dasht, Panjgur, Sibbi, Jahoo, and Kharan, effectively paralysing military movement.

In Washuk and Nodiz, they overran police and levy outposts, disarmed the personnel, issued stern warnings, and withdrew with control of the area.

Economic disruption was a central component: 25 vehicles, including gas tankers and mineral transport trucks, were destroyed or disabled. Financial targets and supply lines were deliberately hit to undercut both state authority and resource extraction efforts.

Province-Wide Offensive

From the Makran coast to the rugged heights of Koh-e-Sulaiman, Operation Baam unfolded with near-simultaneous assaults across a vast theatre. Fierce engagements were reported in Mand, Kolwah, Kech, Wadh, Kharan, Kalat, Quetta, Sibbi, and Naseerabad—signalling the operation’s sweeping territorial span.

In Panjgur, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) road—a critical artery of economic extraction—was blocked, while gas-carrying convoys were ambushed. Pakistani surveillance drones and quadcopters were shot down in Kolwah, Gwarkop, Jahoo, and Aashaal, effectively neutralising aerial monitoring capabilities.

In Jahoo, army encampments in Darukoch, Doleji, and Nondara came under coordinated, multi-directional attacks.

In Kalat’s Kapoto, Dasht Goran, and Tok areas, five mobile towers were destroyed, severing key communication lines. In Kech district’s Buleda area, Sarmachars burnt a United Bank Limited (UBL) branch to the ground and seized weapons from its security guards. Strategic road blockades, checkpoint takeovers, and attacks on police stations echoed across the region—reinforcing the BLF’s presence on the ground.

In Khuzdar’s Wadh area, convoys transporting minerals were struck in direct assaults, and the Wadh Pali Mas central camp in Khuzdar came under heavy attack. Meanwhile, in urban zones like Quetta and Sibbi, government offices and Red Zone assets came under precise fire—showing the reach of the armed resistance into administrative centres.

Statement by BLF Spokesperson

In his concluding statement, Gwahram Baloch addressed not only the occupying Pakistani forces but also the Punjabi ruling elite. He declared that the occupying state can no longer maintain its writ through violence, repression, and brute force, nor deceive the Baloch nation through conspiracies, divide-and-rule tactics, or the false promises of Islamic brotherhood and parliamentary politics.

The BLF accused the Punjabi political and military establishment of perpetuating a colonial project disguised by democratic illusions. The organisation holds that the reality of Greater Punjab’s domination—rooted in chauvinism and fascism—has now been fully exposed.

With a stern warning, Gwahram emphasised that Balochistan will no longer remain the “goose that lays golden eggs” and cautioned that any attempt to continue the forced occupation of Balochistan would be met with intensified resistance and bloodshed.

In reference to Operation Baam, the spokesperson for the BLF stated that the operation not only represents a shift in the military strategy and operational strength of the Balochistan Liberation Front but also signifies a major development in the broader Baloch national liberation movement.

The spokesperson further emphasised that through this operation, the BLF has sent a direct message to the occupying state of Pakistan that the days of its forced occupation and colonial plunder of Balochistan are numbered.

Amid the aftermath of Operation Baam, the BLF issued a sharp clarification regarding the same incident in Musakhel, where nine individuals were taken off two buses and executed. Gwahram Baloch stated they were confirmed military and intelligence operatives identified through prior intelligence, not civilians. He dismissed state and media claims that innocent Punjabis were targeted, calling them part of a broader propaganda campaign to discredit the Baloch liberation movement.

The spokesperson emphasised that during the operation, hundreds of Punjabi travellers were stopped, questioned, and allowed to proceed unharmed—reinforcing that identity-based targeting did not occur. “This is not an apology,” he said, “but a response to the Pakistani army’s disinformation war.” The BLF warned international media to scrutinise state narratives and reaffirmed its commitment to distinguishing civilians from occupying forces.

Popular Support

Operation Baam showed more than just armed strength; it revealed an evolved national liberation strategy. This was not symbolic or reactionary—it was surgical and strategic. It showed the maturity of the Baloch resistance movement, with local support networks playing critical roles. Militants appeared with modern weaponry, used thermal scopes and snipers, carried out public addresses, and dismantled surveillance infrastructure with practiced skill.

The Pakistani state’s reaction, as expected, was repressive. Mass arrests, curfews, internet shutdowns, and digital blackouts were imposed. In Quetta, attacks were reported in Hazarganji, Kirani Road, and Sona Khan—including grenade attacks and bombings on FC installations. Elsewhere, BLF fighters disabled gas tankers in Dalbandin and damaged multiple mineral-transporting convoys on the Quetta-Karachi and Quetta-Sibi highways.

Snap checks and public addresses were carried out from Wadh and Kharan to Kalat and Dasht, often in broad daylight, signalling the organisation’s territorial confidence.

In areas like Dasht, Mand, and Kolwah, eyewitnesses reported that locals greeted fighters with slogans and support, even during active blockades. Videos also appeared on social media, and the organisation’s media wing uploaded footage showing people enthusiastically greeting the BLF fighters.

Political Intent and National Message

The symbolic resonance of Operation Baam cannot be overstated. The name, meaning the first light of dawn, now echoes across Balochistan as a declaration of awakening.

The operation not only shattered dozens of Pakistani military installations but also dealt a blow to the narrative that the Baloch liberation struggle is fragmented or fading. Instead, it has emerged renewed, bold, and coordinated.

The BLF’s ability to simultaneously target strategic assets, disrupt state control, and directly engage with local people indicates a new phase of resistance—one that cannot be silenced through conventional repression.

A Shift Toward Total Resistance

With the successful completion of Operation Baam, the BLF has demonstrated a shift from sporadic guerrilla actions to organised military offensives with national significance. It’s clear message to Pakistan, and particularly to the Punjabi ruling structure, is one of defiance and inevitability.

As the Baloch nation continues to rise in resistance, Operation Baam stands as a historic marker. It represents not just retaliation, but vision—a vision of sovereignty, freedom, and dignity, carved out of fire and sacrifice and echoing across the hills, plains, and coasts of occupied Balochistan.

The BLF has made it clear that Operation Baam is not the culmination but the opening phase of a larger transformation in its military doctrine. From this point forward, even more lethal, widespread, and strategically coordinated operations will be carried out across Balochistan.

As Gwahram Baloch stated, the longer the Pakistani ruling class—including politicians, intellectuals, and supporters—delays accepting Balochistan’s independence and ending the occupation, the heavier the price they will have to pay.

Deedag Mehr writes on Baloch armed organisations, with a focus on the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). He can be followed on X @DeedagMehr. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.