The tragic attack on a school van in Khuzdar, Balochistan, where innocent children became targets of a calculated act of terror, has once again ripped open the festering wound of proxy warfare in the region. This wasn’t an isolated incident—it was a deliberate, orchestrated attempt to destabilize Pakistan through psychological warfare, aimed at the most vulnerable segment of our society: our children.
This act was not only cowardly but emblematic of a broader, sinister campaign. As the Director General of ISPR rightly noted, the Khuzdar attack bore all the hallmarks of a foreign-sponsored operation, with India’s hand, via Baloch terrorist proxies like the BLA and BNA, looming unmistakably in the background. The painful truth is that India is no longer covertly engaging in subversion; it is now blatantly sponsoring terror with audacity and impunity.
India’s Proxy Footprint in Balochistan
The Indian intelligence establishment’s use of proxies in Balochistan is an open secret, echoed by defence analysts and confirmed through repeated evidence trails. From financing attacks to enabling terror operatives to appear on Indian national media as so-called “freedom fighters,” India’s duplicity stands exposed.
The “hit and pay” model attributed to India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, where terrorists are monetarily rewarded for each act of violence—further illuminates the depth of moral depravity. The message is clear: human life, particularly Pakistani life, has become a line item in India’s regional playbook.
Let us not forget the Jaffar Express bombing, another tragedy for which clear Indian linkages were identified. These are not speculative accusations; these are documented, blood-stained facts.
Afghanistan Must Fulfil Its Promise
Equally alarming is Afghanistan’s continued failure to prevent its territory from being used as a launchpad for anti-Pakistan terrorism. The promises made by the Islamic Emirate—to not allow Afghan soil to be used against any neighbour, now ring hollow. Places like Paktia, Kunar, and Nuristan remain safe havens for terrorist factions like the TTP, BLA, and ISISK.
The message from Pakistan and China in their tripartite dialogue with Kabul is clear: development and international cooperation are contingent upon eliminating terrorism. Afghanistan must act, or risk global isolation.
Pakistan’s Resolve: From Narrative to Action
There is, however, a shift in the air—a shift from mourning to resolve. The Pakistan Army’s determination to strike at the root of proxy terror has never been more pronounced. The nation is no longer in a defensive posture. Mobilisation has begun, and modern warfare, both conventional and digital, is being deployed to neutralise threats along the western frontier.
This is not just a military imperative; it is a moral one. The Khuzdar attack is Pakistan’s APS moment of 2025, a line has been crossed. Just as the Army neutralized the threat in the tribal belt after 2014, the same must now be done in Balochistan. These are not “freedom fighters”; they are terrorists on foreign payrolls. They deserve neither legitimacy nor leniency.
Time to Call Out International Hypocrisy
The time has also come to call out the international community’s selective outrage. Nations that rush to condemn every skirmish in other parts of the world must now be made to answer why India’s open support for UN-designated terror groups has not led to global censure or sanctions.
It is no longer enough to whisper in diplomatic backrooms. Pakistan must lead a bold diplomatic offensive, backed by hard evidence, to expose India as a state sponsor of terrorism at every international forum—from the United Nations to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
No Room for Ambiguity
In the words of the Army Chief: “Will a few thousand men determine the fate of Balochistan?” Absolutely not. The state is not weak. The people are not afraid. And justice, though delayed, will be delivered, because there is no other option left.
For every child who didn’t make it home from school, for every family destroyed by foreign-funded terror, Pakistan must now respond with clarity, finality, and absolute resolve.
