Pakistani counterterrorism police seize 2 tons of explosives and arrest 3 in Karachi

Pakistani authorities have thwarted a major terror plot in the country’s largest city after seizing approximately two tons of explosives and arresting three suspects during a series of counterterrorism raids, officials announced Monday.

The joint operation by police and intelligence agencies in Karachi uncovered bomb-making materials and detonators allegedly belonging to the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist organization that has waged a violent insurgency in southwestern Pakistan for more than two decades.

“One vehicle was already loaded with explosives and ready to be used,” said Zulfiqar Ali Larik, a senior counterterrorism official, during a news conference alongside Deputy Inspector General of Police Ghulam Azfar Mahesar. The officials revealed that the materials had been transported from Balochistan province, the epicenter of the separatist movement.

According to Mahesar, the operation began with the arrest of one suspect, whose interrogation led authorities to two additional members of the network. “Additional raids are underway to apprehend remaining members who fled,” he added.

The BLA has increasingly targeted both Pakistani security forces and foreign nationals, particularly Chinese citizens working on projects related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship component of Beijing’s broader Belt and Road Initiative. The multibillion-dollar infrastructure program has drawn the ire of Baloch separatists who claim the province’s resources are being exploited without adequate benefit to local communities.

In one of the deadliest attacks attributed to the group, BLA insurgents killed 33 people, mostly soldiers, during an assault on a passenger train in Balochistan in March 2023. Security forces killed 50 attackers and rescued the remaining passengers during the incident.

Pakistani officials, including Larik, have repeatedly accused neighboring India of supporting the BLA, allegations that New Delhi consistently denies. Pakistan also frequently claims that Afghanistan harbors both BLA operatives and Pakistani Taliban fighters who have intensified attacks across the country in recent years.

The Baloch separatist movement dates back to the early 2000s, with insurgents demanding greater autonomy, increased control over provincial natural resources, and in some cases, complete independence from Pakistan. Balochistan, despite being resource-rich with significant natural gas, coal, and mineral deposits, remains one of Pakistan’s most underdeveloped regions, fueling local grievances.

Security officials have noted an alarming trend in the BLA’s tactics, with the group increasingly deploying female attackers in an apparent attempt to evade detection at security checkpoints. Last week, Pakistani police detained a teenage girl who authorities said had been radicalized and recruited online by the BLA to carry out a suicide attack. Officials ultimately determined she was a victim rather than a suspect and did not file criminal charges.

This strategy was demonstrated in a 2022 attack when a female suicide bomber linked to the BLA killed three Chinese teachers near a university campus in Karachi. The bombing highlighted both the group’s targeting of Chinese nationals and its evolving tactical approach.

The latest raid represents a significant blow to the BLA’s operational capabilities in Karachi, Pakistan’s economic hub and largest city. The port city’s strategic importance, combined with its diverse population of over 20 million, has made it both a target for militant groups and a hiding place for their operatives.

As authorities continue their pursuit of remaining suspects, the discovery of such a large cache of explosives has raised concerns about the scale of planned attacks and the growing sophistication of separatist operations beyond Balochistan’s borders.