Balochistan Liberation Army: Pakistan’s Rising Militant Challenge

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) is fighting for the independence of Balochistan, a resource-rich but politically marginalised region in Pakistan. In pursuit of that goal, the group have evolved both their offline and online strategies, from suicide bombings to increasingly sophisticated online propaganda. Now, experts are warning the BLA could represent the most significant internal threat Pakistan faces.

In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Riccardo Valle, a researcher specialising in jihadism, armed groups, and regional politics in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Together, they unpack the rise of the BLA, its growing presence on social media and messaging platforms, and the unique role women play in the group’s operations.

🎧 Listen to learn:

 ➡︎ The origins of the BLA 

 ➡︎ About their sophisticated online media campaign  

 ➡︎ About the group’s female suicide bombers 

 ➡︎ How Pakistan is responding to the BLA’s threat

 ➡︎ How the group has become Pakistan's biggest internal threat 

📱Connect with Riccardo Valle.

⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn. 

🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.

💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber. 

📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here. 

🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.