Pakistan Losing Ground in Balochistan After Dark, Warns Ex-PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi (VIDEO)

Islamabad: Former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, has raised serious concerns over the deteriorating security situation in Balochistan, warning that the state’s control over the region weakens significantly after nightfall. His comments were made in an interview with The Balochistan Post on May 5, just a day before a fatal assault by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed the lives of six Pakistan Army personnel, including a major.

Abbasi painted a grim picture of the province’s condition, stating that fear dominates the landscape and government officials in Quetta move with armed security. “The state’s authority vanishes after dark,” he said, highlighting that armed Baloch groups now operate freely — patrolling roads, establishing checkpoints, and occupying urban zones for hours, actions he described as signs of a crumbling state presence.

On May 6, the BLA took responsibility for an IED blast in Bolan district that targeted a military convoy en route from Amir Post to the Ali Khan base in Geshtri. The attack resulted in six fatalities and left five others injured. Pakistani media reported that following the blast, security forces sealed off the area and launched a large-scale search operation involving five helicopters.

Abbasi also challenged the narrative recently put forward by the army chief, who claimed that only about 1,500 individuals were causing unrest in Balochistan. “Labeling the crisis as the work of a few hundred is misleading,” he said. “The fact is, the state no longer has full control over the province.”

His warnings coincide with a noticeable increase in insurgent activity, enforced disappearances, and political instability in Balochistan. Armed nationalist groups appear to be shifting toward more aggressive tactics, openly targeting military units and expanding their influence in both rural and urban settings.

Summing up the gravity of the situation, Abbasi stated, “This is no longer just a security challenge — it’s the visible collapse of state authority.”

Who is Shahid Khaqan Abbasi?
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is a veteran Pakistani politician and businessman who served as the country’s 18th Prime Minister from August 2017 to May 2018. He currently leads Awaam Pakistan (AP). Formerly, he was a key figure in the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) and also held the position of secretary-general in the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), a coalition of parties opposing the PTI.

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