When a teenage girl was brought under state protection in Karachi last week, the moment carried two meanings. It was, first, a narrow escape from a catastrophe that could have scarred the country yet again. It was also a stark reminder that Pakistan’s security challenge is entering a more ruthless phase. Investigators say militants linked to the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) had sought to groom a minor for a suicide attack. The plot failed. The lesson should not be ignored.

Credit is due where it belongs. Pakistan’s security agencies intercepted the plan before it could mature into tragedy. Yet the rescue, welcome as it is, should not be mistaken for closure. It points instead to an insurgency that is broadening its methods and hardening its resolve. This is no longer a fight confined to rugged terrain or distant outposts. It is a campaign that now reaches into homes, schools and mobile phones.

The first reality to confront is the militants’ evolving cruelty. In recent years, Baloch insurgent groups have expanded recruitment beyond traditional male fighters, drawing in women as well. The April 2022 suicide bombing at Karachi University, carried out by Shari Baloch, marked a grim turning point. The attack, which killed three........

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