The Balochistan Anti-Terrorism Act 2025 amendment is designed to address real terrorist threats while safeguarding the rights of all citizens, including the Baloch population. It targets militant violence, not peaceful dissent, ensuring protection from groups that engage in attacks and refuse to condemn violence.
Claims of unchecked powers are inaccurate, as oversight mechanisms like Joint Investigation Teams and legal review boards ensure accountability. Military involvement is essential to handle the unique hybrid nature of the conflict.
Allegations of mass disappearances are often exaggerated and lack credible evidence. Many individuals labeled as “missing” have been found to be active terrorists, undergoing training in camps operated by militant groups such as the BLA.
Read more: Balochistan revises ATA, permitting 3-month detention without trial
Meanwhile, the actions of these terrorist organizations — including killings, extortion, and attacks on schools like APS Khuzdar and Jaffar Express — are consistently ignored by critics.
The state has extended offers of political dialogue and economic development, yet these have been rejected or undermined by the same groups aligned with militant organizations. Comparisons of Pakistan to oppressive regimes are manipulative and baseless, as Pakistan operates within constitutional and judicial frameworks. Critics who remain silent on militant atrocities while solely blaming the state reveal a clear bias and undermine their claims of advocating for humanitarian causes.
Pakistan supports peaceful dissent but firmly opposes terrorism and foreign-sponsored activities disguised as activism. The people of Balochistan deserve security and development, and achieving this requires addressing those who use violence to destabilize the region.
