Reports say an internal power struggle within the banned separatist group Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has intensified, with rival factions now engaging in violent clashes over control, command, and influence in Balochistan.
According to reports, fighters linked to the Bashir Zeb faction carried out an attack and killed Hayat Khan, the elder brother of rival commander S.M. Handel alias “Bahoot”, marking a sharp escalation in internal infighting within the organization.
The killing is seen as a direct outcome of growing tensions between competing factions operating under the broader BLA umbrella, where disputes over authority and operational control have increasingly turned violent.
Background of Rising Internal Tensions
Reports say the latest violence follows an earlier incident in which elements linked to a faction associated with the defunct Baloch Republican Army (BRA)—now reportedly operating within BLA structures—were involved in the kidnapping of the Vice Chancellor of Gwadar University.
Sources suggest the abduction, allegedly carried out on the instructions of commander “Bahoot,” was viewed by the Bashir Zeb faction as a direct challenge to its authority and central command structure.
Personal Dispute Turns Into Organizational Conflict
According to sources familiar with the situation, the Gwadar University kidnapping was initially rooted in a long-standing personal and tribal dispute involving the vice chancellor’s family and individuals linked to commander Bahoot and Hayat Khan.
Reports say the operation was conducted without the prior approval of the Bashir Zeb leadership, which triggered a violent response aimed at reasserting control and discipline within the group.
Fears of Further Violence
Security sources warn that the killing of Hayat Khan has deepened internal divisions within the BLA and may trigger a cycle of retaliatory attacks between rival factions.
Officials suggest that further targeted killings and internal purges cannot be ruled out as competing groups attempt to consolidate control, raising concerns about continued fragmentation and instability within the separatist network.
