The Shared Agenda of ISKP and BLA
Pakistan has seen a changing scene of terrorism in recent years, characterized not just by ongoing threats but also by mounting conflict among extreme factions. Headlines have notably focused on the conflict between the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Daesh’s regional affiliate, the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP). These parties have as their fundamental objective destabilizing Pakistan and thereby undermining its sovereignty, even if their approaches, territory, or ideological superiority may conflict. For the Pakistani government, their own strife provides little solace; rather, it accentuates the constant threat these players create. Whether it is ISKP or the BLA, Pakistan is still steadfast in its will: any threat will be faced with relentless determination and a one national will.
Both ISKP and the BLA have focused on Pakistan’s core that which is its people, institutions, and sense of oneness. Operating under the cover of extreme religious ideology, ISKP has attacked mosques, security agencies, and people to stir sectarian strife and question governmental power. Under separatist rhetoric, the BLA has sought to split Pakistan’s political and territorial integrity by attacking infrastructure and foreign investment, especially in Balochistan, therefore undermining separatist claims. Though they seem different, both groups operate with the same goal: to undermine Pakistan from within and cause division among the people by means of terror.
Though apparently reflecting strategic difference, the latest conflicts between ISKP and BLA do not show a diminishing of threat but rather a mutation of it. Though they are tactical, driven by rivalry for resources and power, these conflicts do not lessen the more general risk. Pakistan sees such occurrences as important reminders of the volatile character of these tribes, not as celebration of their oneness. Terrorist infighting is chaos going inward, still capable of terrible results; it is not development. Therefore, the state’s counterterrorism approach does not rely on the convenience of enemy divisions. Pakistan works relentlessly to destroy threats, not waiting for them to fade away.
Whether a group uses religion or race to excuse violence, the government sees through the front. Likewise dishonest are ISKP’s attempts to radicalize minds in the guise of faith and BLA’s separatist stories. Although their approaches may vary, their goal is one and only instability. Pakistan has made it quite evident: it does not create divisions between terrorists depending on their claimed intentions. Any actor who compromises national interest, creates panic, or seeks to destroy public confidence will be handled equally and decisively. The stance of the state is still constant: proactive, not reactive; thorough, not selective.
Rooted in unity, tolerance, and constitutional democracy, Pakistan’s ideological base is not negotiable. ISKP and the BLA both want to attack these fundamental ideas. While BLA seeks to split national cohesion through racially fuelled insurgency, ISKP targets religious unity, trying to aggravate sectarian divisions. In their different spheres, aim to undermine the same country. Their confrontation is a convergence of animosity toward the state, not a collision of opposites. It just increases the need of a thorough and strong reaction. Pakistan is adamant in safeguarding its constitutional, geographical, and ideological integrity.
Indeed, the difficulty these groups present calls for more than a military reaction. To prevent radicalizing and destroy terror networks, Pakistan’s strategy combines intelligence, law enforcement, and community participation. Past outcomes of this multifarious approach have shown themselves in the dramatic drop in terror events from their peak in the early 2010s. The fight isn’t finished, though. The threat changes with the resilience of ISKP and BLA, their capability to reconstitute, and their ability to take advantage of local and international fault lines; so, the reaction also changes.
The state is fully aware that terrorist groups flourish in vacuums: political, financial, and informational ones. Pakistan has so also concentrated on tackling underlying problems, funding development especially in historically underprivileged areas like Balochistan and advancing inclusive national stories. Under the National Action Plan, the military-led Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad, and development projects under CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor), initiatives all help to create resilience against extremist ideas holistically. These initiatives strengthen Pakistan’s inclusive, cohesive, sovereign concept as much as they aim at eliminating terrorists.
Significantly, Pakistan does not distinguish among its adversaries. It does not let any organization operate with impunity depending on who they target or engage in the risky habit of labeling terrorists as “good,” or “bad.” Whether ISKP is bombing a mosque or the BLA ambushing security personnel, both are attacking the core of the nation. The answer of the state is driven by constitutional clarity rather than political expediency. Regardless of their banner or cause, the whole weight of Pakistan’s security system will remain down on those who endanger its peace.
The sounds of rivalry among terrorists do not compromise Pakistan’s will. Quite the reverse, it is confirmed somewhat more. Fighting among themselves, these groupings expose the instability and destructiveness at their core. Their inner conflicts, however, do not lessen the threat they create to national stability or innocent life. For Pakistan, the goal still is clearly peace by strength, unity by vigilance, and security by constant action.
The threat exists whether it comes from the BLA or ISKP of Daesh. Though they do not alter the principles, their internal conflicts could make news. The dedication of Pakistan to counterterrorism is unaffected by changes in the adversary camp. It is based on a consistent idea: no compromise will be done with anybody trying to damage the country. Driven by clarity, laws, and the unwavering spirit of its people, the state will keep acting forcefully. With all its forms and disguises, terrorism will be confronted with tenacious resistance, resiliency, and will.
