On July 23, 2025, Major Zeeyyad Salim Awal, a company commander from the 41st Azad Kashmir Regiment (4 AK), was killed alongside several other soldiers in a deadly ambush in Mastung, Balochistan, carried out by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). This incident marks the fourth Pakistan Army officer lost in a single week, underscoring the escalating violence in the region and the growing challenges faced by Pakistan’s security forces.

Major Zeeyyad’s death follows a series of high-profile attacks targeting Pakistan Army personnel:

• Major Rab Nawaz Gilan was killed in an attack by the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in an undisclosed location.
• Major Anwar Kakar lost his life in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast orchestrated by the BLA.
• Brigadier Ahmed Mukhtar was killed in a drone attack attributed to the Islamic Movement of Pakistan (IMP), a group believed to be a proxy of the TTP. Though this has not been officially confirmed.

These attacks highlight the intensifying insurgent activities by various proscribed groups operating in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan, where separatist and militant groups have long challenged state authority.

Mastung: A Hotbed of Conflict

Mastung, located in Balochistan, has emerged as a focal point of insurgent activity. The region has witnessed multiple attacks by Baloch separatist groups in recent months, with the BLA claiming responsibility for several high-profile operations. In March 2025, former U.S. Representative to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad revealed that the BLA had killed 30 ISIS terrorists in Mastung, a claim later echoed by pro-Taliban media, which stated that no ISIS operatives remained in the area following a BLA attack in the third week of July.

These developments have fueled controversy, with pro-Taliban accounts alleging that the Pakistan Army may be involved in training ISIS operatives in Balochistan. While these claims remain unverified, they add to the complex web of accusations and counter-accusations surrounding the region’s security dynamics. Whilst the blame game is on one side, on the other side under China both the parties (Taliban and Pakistan) are attempting to mend their bond.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban government in Afghanistan of sheltering anti-Pakistan entities, including groups like the TTP and BLA, which operate from safe havens across the border. The surge in attacks in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, has intensified these concerns. According to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, Balochistan accounted for 23% of the 650 terror attacks in Pakistan in 2023, resulting in 286 deaths.

The BLA, designated as a terrorist organization by Pakistan, the U.S., the UK, China, Iran, and the EU, seeks independence for Balochistan, citing economic exploitation and human rights abuses by the Pakistani state. The group has increasingly adopted sophisticated tactics, including suicide bombings and coordinated assaults, as seen in the Jaffar Express train hijacking in March 2025, which killed 26 hostages, and a series of attacks in August 2024 that left over 70 dead, including 14 soldiers.

The recent spate of attacks is a proof of the mounting pressure on the Pakistan Army as it grapples with multiple fronts of insurgency. The BLA’s operations, such as the July 11, 2025, “Operation Baam” in Zhob, which killed 18 soldiers, and the July 15 bombing of an army bus in Quetta, which claimed 29 lives, demonstrate the group’s growing tactical capabilities. The TTP, bolstered by access to U.S.-made weapons and sanctuaries in Afghanistan, has also intensified its campaign, with 16 attacks reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in a single day in March 2025.

Pakistan’s military has responded with large-scale operations, such as the November 2024 offensive against the BLA and the ongoing “Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad” against the TTP. However, the persistence of violence suggests that these efforts have yet to achieve lasting stability. The heavy military presence in Balochistan, intended to curb insurgency, is often perceived by locals as suppression, further fueling resentment and support for separatist groups.

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populated province, remains a volatile region marked by economic deprivation and ethnic tensions. Despite its vast natural resources, including oil, gas, and minerals, the province lags in development, with local communities accusing the federal government of exploitation. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a $60 billion project, has become a focal point of contention, with the BLA targeting Chinese nationals and infrastructure to protest foreign involvement.

As Pakistan faces increasing attacks from groups like the BLA and TTP, the loss of experienced officers like Major Zeeyyad Salim Awal shows that pakistani defence forces are on tenterhooks as they operate wtih their resources spread thin in southern and western Paksitan.. With no immediate resolution in sight, the situation in Balochistan remains a critical challenge for Pakistan’s security and stability.