SOHRAB: There were 50 armed militants belonging to the proscribed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) who stormed multiple state installations in the city of Sohrab on Thursday evening, leaving a trail of destruction and fear. In addition, several security analysts are calling the strike more than just a rural insurgency, labeling it a carefully orchestrated operation modeled on the “Ajit Doval Doctrine”, referencing India’s alleged strategy of using proxy actors to destabilize neighboring regions.
In this regard, as per the verified sources, the coordinated assault targeted the National Bank, the main city market, the Levies and Police Station, and the Deputy Commissioner’s residence.
The militants looted the bank, set ablaze key government buildings, and brutally assassinated Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Hidayatullah Baloch.
Furthermore, witnesses reported heavy gunfire throughout the city, and as panic spread, a crowd of local sympathizers gathered around the militants, effectively serving as a human shield.
30؍مئی کی شام فتنہ الہندوستان بی ایل اے کے 50–60 مسلح دہشت گردوں نے نیشنل بینک، مرکزی بازار، لیویز/پولیس اسٹیشن اور ڈی سی ہاؤس پر ایک ساتھ قبضہ کیا۔ بینک لوٹ لیا پھر سرکاری عمارتیں نذر آتش کردی۔ اسسٹنٹ کمشنر ریوینیو ہدایت اللہ بلوچ کو شہید کردیا گیا۔ گولیوں کی تڑٹراہٹ میں مقامی… pic.twitter.com/DoJ4WocPtJ
— Balochistan Insight (@BalochInsight) May 31, 2025
However, within minutes of the attack, Indian social media networks began trending the hashtag #BalochFreedomFighters, a move seen by Pakistani officials as a coordinated digital campaign to glorify terrorism.
Meanwhile, Sohrab, best known for its orchards of apples and grapes, is a city of strategic and agricultural significance. According to the 2023 census, the city houses 279,038 residents, the majority of whom are rural farming families. Only 36,468 of its population live in urban areas.
Also Read: Body of martyred Baloch ADC reaches hometown following BLA terror attack
The BLA, designated as a terrorist organization by Pakistan, the United Nations, and other global bodies, has been involved in a series of violent insurgencies in Balochistan. Thursday’s attack marks a dangerous escalation in their tactics and signals a renewed effort to dismantle the writ of the state in the province.
