New Delhi, July 23 -- Every time Quetta buries its soldiers, the same question resurfaces in Islamabad: is Balochistan becoming another East Pakistan? The question has haunted Pakistani strategists since the province's first insurgency broke out in 1948, months after the state itself was born. This year the question has resurfaced often.

In July 2026 alone, coordinated assaults across Balochistan killed dozens of security personnel within days. Earlier, in late January and February, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) launched "Operation Herof 2.0," a wave of suicide bombings and prison breaks that Islamabad met with a counteroffensive claiming over 200 militant deaths. The BLA has since opened a maritime front, and 2025 alone saw more...