In the early hours of January 31, Baloch freedom fighters belonging to the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) launched their biggest, most audacious and spectacular offensive against the Pakistani state. Operation Herof-2 was the second such complex and coordinated attack after Herof-1 in August 2024. In both scale and scope, Herof-2 was bigger and bolder, with insurgents launching over 40 simultaneous attacks in over 12 districts covering the length and breadth of the restive province. According to some estimates, anywhere from 500 to 1,200 guerrillas were involved in the attacks, which targeted big cities and urban centres, including the capital city Quetta and the most secure Quetta Cantonment. Despite the brave face that Pakistan Army and its subordinates in the installed civilian regime are putting up, and the claims of victory being made by the predominantly Punjabi media of Pakistan - which acts as a mouthpiece of the quasi-military-hybrid regime - there is egg on the faces of the self-appointed field marshal and the rest of the security establishment, which was taken by complete surprise.

The total collapse of the writ of the state, even if it was for a few hours, has sent shockwaves through the province and the Pakistani state. The fact that the insurgents were able to infiltrate highly secure areas, including the capital city and the cantonment situated there, and were able to attack government offices, security bases and encampments in different cities, has exposed the hollowness of the claims being made by the dubious chief minister and other security officials. Despite official denials, the fact that the situation in Balochistan was fraught and fragile was not a secret. Government officials, ministers, top politicians and even tribal chieftains were unable to travel on highways, even with security. Trains were routinely targeted, and militants used to set up checkpoints on highways, and then melt away before the state could respond. The morale of the local security........

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