QUETTA: The key commander of the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) and the custodian of the group’s narcotics-generated funds, Abdul Khaliq alias Wado, killed in a covert operation near the Iran border.
In this regard, Abdul Khaliq had been residing in a border town inside Iranian territory and was responsible for coordinating the BLF’s arms and drug supply network.
He was a close associate of senior BLF commanders Abid alias Chakar and Asim alias Rehan, who have long been involved in the group’s logistics and financing activities.
Furthermore, the operation was part of an ongoing effort to dismantle the BLF’s operational and financial structures.
The officials said that Abdul Khaliq played a crucial role in facilitating the movement of narcotics across the border, the proceeds of which were allegedly used to fund militant operations inside Pakistan.
Moreover, the BLF has been involved in various attacks targeting security forces and infrastructure projects in Balochistan over the years.
In this sense, the government representatives believe that the network Abdul Khaliq managed had strong links with transnational smuggling groups operating along the Pakistan-Iran border.
There has been no official statement from the BLF regarding the death, intelligence agencies are monitoring the group’s communications for any confirmation or retaliatory threats.
On the other hand, the security forces have carried out a major counterterrorism operation, arresting a key commander of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) during a cross-border action.
The killing of Abdul Khaliq indicates one of the most vital blows to the BLF’s command and funding structure in recent months, mentioning the increasing pressure on insurgent networks operating along Pakistan’s western borders.
