QUETTA: A high-stakes intelligence-based operation by security forces in the Mach area of Kachhi District revealed a name that sent shockwaves through Balochistan’s political landscape.
Among the five terrorists killed was Ikhlaq, son of Muhammad and a resident of Wadh, who was identified as the personal bodyguard of Sardar Akhtar Mengal, chief of the Balochistan National Party (Mengal).
Recovered weapons and communication devices confirmed direct links between the group and the Balochistan Liberation Army’s (BLA) command and control.
Police records show Ikhlaq had been part of Akhtar Mengal’s close security team since 2020.
However, telemetry data revealed that he wasn’t just a member of the BLA — he also participated in planning meetings for the attack on the Surab police station.
Furthermore, decrypted satellite phone records indicated Ikhlaq facilitated secure passageways through the mountainous terrain between Wadh, Khuzdar, and Surab.
Mach, strategically located at the junction of the Quetta–Sukkur National Highway (N-65) and the CPEC route, has recently been a focal point of BLA activity.
The group’s strategy has been to target key highways to challenge the state’s writ. During the operation, security forces seized remote detonators, advanced night vision clip-on devices, and Indian-manufactured GPS trackers — the same technology used in the March 11, 2025 hijacking of the Jaffar Express.
The operation not only dismantled a terrorist cell but also disrupted a political safety net that has long provided covert protection to violent elements under the guise of “rights” activism.
For Akhtar Mengal, Ikhlaq’s death is more than just a personnel loss — it casts serious doubt on his political credibility.
Is he truly disconnected from extremist networks, or are such individuals embedded deep within his inner circle? If BNP-M truly disavows terrorism, it must conduct an internal audit and announce a thorough investigation of its security wing.
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Condemning groups like BLA and BLF is essential — mere statements or prayers are not enough. Otherwise, history may remember that the slogan of “Baloch rights” was merely a cover for armed rebellion inspired by the dream of “Fitna-e-Hindustan.”
