The back-to-back killings of a district and sessions judge and a senior police officer within a week have intensified concerns over what security analysts describe as a deliberate campaign by the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) to target Pakistan’s judicial and law enforcement institutions in Balochistan.
The first high-profile attack occurred in Mastung, where District and Sessions Judge Abdul Hakeem Kakar and his security guard were ambushed while travelling to court. The judge and his guard were martyred on the spot, while another judicial officer sustained injuries. Although no group immediately claimed responsibility, police and security officials said suspicion fell on the banned BLA, which has intensified attacks across Balochistan in recent months.
Days later, terrorists struck again in Barkhan’s Rakhni area, where DSP Mureed Bugti embraced martyrdom after armed BLA terrorists opened fire on his official police vehicle near Khatta Chowki during a routine patrol. One police constable was also injured in the attack. Barkhan Superintendent of Police Abdul Haq said the terrorists targeted DSP Mureed Bugti while he was performing his duties. Following the ambush, a heavy contingent of police, the Frontier Corps (FC), the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), and other security agencies launched a large-scale search operation to track down the attackers.
Balochistan Government spokesperson Shahid Rind condemned the attack, saying security forces had completely cordoned off the area and additional personnel had been deployed.
“The terrorists responsible for this cowardly attack will be pursued and brought to justice. Operations against enemies of the state will continue without discrimination until terrorism is eliminated,” he said.
DSP Mureed Bugti, a resident of Sui, was regarded as one of Balochistan Police’s most courageous officers. He leaves behind two widows and twelve children. His family had previously suffered another devastating loss when two of his daughters were martyred in a terrorist attack on his residence in Jaffarabad, underscoring the repeated sacrifices made by the family in the fight against terrorism.
Security officials say these BLA attacks Balochistan judiciary police officers reflect an apparent attempt by terrorist groups to intimidate state institutions and undermine the rule of law.
Security analysts believe the recent attacks on senior judicial and police officials may form part of a broader campaign of retaliation following the conviction of Mahrang Baloch in the 2024 Raji Muchi case. The court found that a violent mob incited during the protest resulted in the martyrdom of Sepoy Shabbir Baloch. Anlaysts say that, following the verdict, online accounts they identify as being associated with the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) criticised the court’s decision and posted messages targeting police personnel deployed to provide security at Huda Jail in Quetta during protests by supporters of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC). They contend that these online messages were intended to intimidate law enforcement officers involved in maintaining security and implementing the court’s orders.
Security analysts also point to public statements issued after the verdict by Allah Nazar, leader of the banned Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), who expressed support for Mahrang Baloch and criticised the court’s decision. They further note that statements attributed to the leadership of the banned BLA similarly condemned the verdict and voiced support for Mahrang Baloch. Investigators are examining these statements, along with the subsequent online messaging, as part of their assessment into whether the killings of District and Sessions Judge Abdul Hakeem Kakar in Mastung and DSP Mureed Bugti in Barkhan formed part of a coordinated campaign aimed at intimidating the judiciary and law enforcement institutions.
This systematic shift—moving from infrastructure targets toward assassinating sitting judges and senior police officers—reveals a calculated effort to intimidate officers enforcing state orders and frighten judicial figures presiding over terrorism trials. As intelligence-based operations intensify across Mastung, Barkhan, and surrounding districts, authorities maintain that the state’s counter-terrorism operations will continue unabated to protect the bench and the front line.