Balochistan has descended into turmoil after the illegal Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) launched a nationwide and synchronized campaign of mass attacks. From late Friday, January 31, through Sunday, February 1, 2026, the insurgents attacked over 12 points in the province, causing 193 deaths. The scale and complexity of the operations, known as “Operation Herof Phase Two,” have overwhelmed local forces and prompted the federal government to pledge “all-out retaliation.”
The Carnage in Numbers
Provincial Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti and military officials have released a stunning summary of the casualties stemming from the 40-hour standoff:
- Militants Dead: 145 (the largest single-day death toll of insurgents in some decades).
- Security Personnel Martyred: 17 (police, Frontier Corps, and one Navy officer).
- Civilians Killed: 31 (including women, children, laborers).
Coordinated Chaos: jails, banks, highways
It was not a one city attacks on a few of the villages including Quetta, Gwadar, Mastung, Nushki, Pasni and Kharan.
Prison Break: In Mastung, dozens of insurgents stormed the Central Jail and apparently freed more than 30 prisoners during a violent gun battle.
Suicide Bombings: Suicide bombers targeted locations in Nushki and Quetta, including a high-security prison and the police.
Hostage Attempts: “Vigilant” security forces intercepted militants’ plans to seize buildings of the government and take hostages in Quetta’s high-security area, chief minister Bugti said.
In the Information Blackout
In an attempt to stymie the coordination of further strikes or the dissemination of militant propaganda, one of which was to depict videos of women fighters taking part in the raids, the government has suspended mobile internet services throughout Balochistan.
Quetta is still mostly a ghost town as of Monday morning. Major highways such as the Quetta-Karachi and Quetta-Sibi routes have been shut down, while train services have been stopped indefinitely after tracks are damaged in explosions. Residents say they are living in the atmosphere of “constant fear,” shops shuttered and massive paramilitary forces on every turn.
The Geopolitical Blame Game
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has defiantly blamed India for the violence, calling the attackers "Fitna-al-Hindustan". New Delhi has “categorically rejected” these allegations as a tactic to shift the attention from Pakistan’s shortcomings in internal security. The BLA insists the operation is a reaction to the “exploitation of Balochistan's resources,” and one that is a response to previous military operations that had killed 41 insurgents in Panjgur and Harnai prior to the violence last week.
