ISLAMABAD, 14 MAR

The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) involved in the train terrorist attack in Balochistan emerged as a major terrorist organisation in the province, according to a media report.

The group hijacked the Jaffar Express, with 440 passengers onboard, in the Bolan area of the province on Tuesday, leading to a two-day stand-off with the security forces, and highlighting the threat posed by the group to Pakistan.

According to an article published in the Prism magazine of Dawn newspaper on Wednesday, overall, the BLA-orchestrated attacks caused 225 fatalities in 2024.

It added that attacks by various outlawed Baloch insurgent groups, primarily the BLA and the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), saw a staggering 119 per cent increase, accounting for 171 incidents in Balochistan.

Here is a timeline of all attacks claimed by the BLA over the last year.

January 30, 2024: The BLA launched three coordinated attacks using rockets and sophisticated weapons in Balochistan’s Mach town, located at a 70km distance from the provincial capital of Quetta.

During the ensuing gun battle between security forces and the assailants — which lasted nearly three days — 24 terrorists were killed, the military said.

Four law enforcement personnel and two civilians were also killed in the attack.

March 20, 2024: A group of eight terrorists, belonging to BLA, attempted to forcibly enter the Gwadar Port Authority Colony and opened fire. Multiple blasts were also reported in the attack.

According to an army statement, all eight terrorists were killed in an exchange of fire with the military while two soldiers embraced martyrdom.

March 26, 2024: Turbat was shaken by explosions and firing by terrorists, who, according to officials, aimed to attack PNS Siddique — which is among the biggest naval air stations in Pakistan.

However, the officials said that the attack was foiled. They added that six terrorists were killed outside the Turbat airport boundary in an operation.

April 13, 2024: Nine passengers hailing from Punjab were killed near Noshki when gunmen forced them off a bus. The same attackers also killed two persons in another car they forced to stop. The attack was later claimed by the BLA.

May 10, 2024: Seven labourers hailing from Punjab were murdered in the coastal town of Sarbandan, east of Gwadar, in their sleep. Following the killing, the Balochistan government announced the arrest of two suspects, with the Counter Terrorism Department saying both were associated with the BLA.

June 23, 2024: Armed terrorists affiliated with the BLA kidnapped at least 14 people from a picnic spot in the Zarghoon area of Harnai district. The picnickers were abducted after they were separated from a crowd following an identity check. They freed four persons in the area and later abandoned their vehicle.

June 27, 2024: As many as 50 terrorists attacked a Frontier Corps (FC) check post guarding the Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) oil and gas exploration site in Kalat, killing two security personnel. A spokesperson for the BLA claimed responsibility for the attack.

August 13, 2024: The deputy commissioner of Panjgur, Zakir Hussain Baloch, was killed in an attack on his vehicle on the Quetta-Karachi National Highway, near Mastung. The Balochistan government said that intelligence information and evidence indicated that the BLA was behind the attack.

August 26-27, 2024: Balochistan witnessed one of the most violent days in its turbulent history. At least 50 people, including 14 security men, lost their lives in different parts of the province as dozens of BLA terrorists went on a rampage; storming police stations, blowing up railway tracks, and setting fire to almost three dozen vehicles.

October 7, 2024: Two workers from China were killed and eight wounded in a late-night bombing on a Chinese convoy outside the Karachi airport. The attack was claimed by the BLA.

October 30, 2024: Terrorists affiliated with the BLA killed five private security guards dep­loyed on the construction site of a dam in the Panjgur district.

November 9, 2024: At least 26 people, including 16 security personnel, were killed after a suicide blast ripped through a railway station in Quetta, Karachi. Over 60 people were injured. The banned BLA claimed responsibility, stating that its cell Majeed Brigade had carried out the attack.

November 17, 2024: Seven security personnel were killed and 18 others wounded in a BLA-orchestrated attack on a check post in the Johan area of Kalat. In its statement, the military said it killed six terrorists while four others were injured.

January 5, 2025: At least six people, including five Frontier Corps (FC) personnel, were killed and 35 others, including children, suffered injuries as an explosive-laden vehicle hit a coach in the Turbat. While claiming responsibility, the BLA said its Majeed Brigade carried out the blast.

January 9, 2025: BLA terrorists launched an attack on the main market in Khuzdar’s Zehri district, setting fire to multiple government buildings. The armed men later attacked a private bank branch, took the staff hostage and looted over Rs90 million, according to bank officials.

February 1, 2025: At least 18 soldiers were killed in an overnight insurgent attack in Kalat district. Twelve terrorists were killed in the ensuing gun battles. The attack was claimed by the BLA.

February 19, 2025: Unidentified gunmen killed seven people travelling to Punjab after off-loading them from a passenger bus, in the Barkhan district. After disembarking the passengers from the coach, the gunmen opened fire, killing them on the spot. The attack was claimed by the BLA. PTI SH

March 3, 2025: A Frontier Corps personnel was killed and four others were injured in a suicide attack by a woman bomber on a convoy in Kalat. The attack was claimed by a lesser-known faction of the BLA, known as the BLA Azad.