Gulzar Imam Shambay, former chief of the banned Baloch National Army (BNA), has revealed that the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and similar militant outfits raise funds through drug trafficking and other illegal means.
In an interview with a private TV channel, two years after rejoining the national mainstream, Shambay said that groups like the Baloch Youth Council (BYC) serve as “nurseries” for the BLA, where young people are indoctrinated and recruited into militancy.
He disclosed that internal rifts within banned organisations often lead to the killing of militants, while their families are misled with false narratives instead of being told the real reasons. Shambay also recalled clashes between his faction and supporters of Brahamdagh Bugti in 2014–15, adding that favouritism and power struggles are a routine reality inside larger groups.
Referring to Mahrang Baloch’s father, Ghaffar Lango, he revealed that after the fall of Dr. Najib’s government in Afghanistan, Lango supported Khair Bakhsh Marri’s return to Quetta and later joined the armed struggle in the mountains. Shambay confirmed that Lango remained active in anti-state activities.
Shambay further admitted that the BLA and other outfits cannot deny Indian backing. Quoting Attaullah Mengal, he said: “Even if the devil helps against Pakistan, it should be accepted.” He added that eventually, all resistance movements across the world turn to political struggle, which is why he abandoned militancy and chose politics, stressing that objectives can only be achieved through political means.
He also revealed that in the past, the BLA received weapons and safe havens from Afghanistan, a trend that continues today. According to him, U.S. military equipment once used in Afghanistan is widely available in the Afghan black market and continues to be supplied to militant groups.
