Author: Basarat Fatima (Basarat Fatima)

At a recent United Nations Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, China called for the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its Majeed Brigade to be designated under the UN sanctions regime. Beijing also condemned the recent terrorist attack in Pakistan, called for stronger international support for Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts, and warned that terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory continue to pose a serious regional threat.

The latest propaganda video released by Kharji Noor Wali Mehsud, leader of Fitna al Khawarij (FAK), is another attempt to incite violence. By invoking Surah At-Tawbah ayat 9 he seeks to portray attacks against Pakistan's security forces as a religious obligation, giving terrorism the appearance of divine legitimacy. Rather than engaging in a genuine theological discussion, the video deliberately misuses Islam to justify the killing of Muslims. More significantly, it revives the same pattern employed by the Khawarij in early Islamic history, who selectively quoted the Qur'an, and legitimized violence under the guise of religion.

In an interview on Border Talks with Iftikhar Firdaus, Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti addressed some of the most pressing questions surrounding Balochistan. From the province's security situation and governance reforms to development, terrorism, and political consensus, he outlined how the provincial government views both the challenges confronting the province and the strategy needed to address them.

Balochistan is frequently portrayed abroad through a single narrative: grievance, repression, and victimhood. That framing has become so dominant that developments reflecting progress in education...

The digital landscape has increasingly become a theater of information warfare, where propaganda and fabrication are amplified through social media. One recent example is Mir Yar Baloch’s widely shared declaration of a purported “Republic of Balochistan.” The campaign claimed that this fictional entity controls 85 percent of the province, commands a five-branch military, intends to...