Terror is terror

The bombing of a school bus in Khuzdar, Balochistan, that martyred six – including four young students, most of them girls – is a crime so vile, so cowardly, that it defies every norm of humanity and decency. Let there be no ambiguity: terrorism is terrorism – and it must be confronted and crushed, no matter what banner it hides behind or what excuse it tries to wield. According to government statements, the attack was carried out by Indian-backed proxies operating under the guise of separatist causes. Regardless of whether it was orchestrated by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) or another militant group, the reality is the same: this was a deliberate, calculated massacre of children on their way to school. Their blood stains the hands of those who planned and executed this attack – and stains too the ideology that tries to justify such violence in the name of political resistance. It is important to acknowledge that Balochistan’s problems are real and deep-rooted. The province has suffered decades of neglect, economic exploitation, political marginalisation and human rights violations. The anger is real. The alienation is real. But nothing justifies the way militants have been operating in Balochistan. No struggle that makes it acceptable to bomb a school bus. Whether the BLA or the TTP, these groups are indulging in outright terrorism. Their actions are acts of war against the people of Pakistan.

Let us also not forget: there was a time when political engagement helped dial down violence in Balochistan. The appointment of a nationalist leader like Dr Abdul Malik Baloch in 2013 ushered in a period of relative calm, proving that dialogue and genuine representation can work. But those pathways have since been blocked. Nationalist voices have been sidelined, and political reconciliation efforts allowed to wither. In the vacuum, militant/terrorist groups – aided by foreign intelligence and driven by extremist ideologies – have flourished. Even so, no matter how flawed the system, there is no justification for this kind of barbarity. The BLA, or any other outfit that thinks targeting civilians, especially children, will advance their agenda, must be met with the full force of the state. There is no room for excuses, no time for equivocation. Terrorists and terror proxies must be treated as such. Pakistan’s security forces and intelligence agencies must now rise to this challenge, not only by tracking and eliminating those behind this attack but by cutting off the networks that support them. Intelligence must be sharpened, operations must be relentless and justice must be swift. At the same time, the state must also engage politically – not with the terrorists, but with the people of Balochistan. Development, representation and justice must go hand in hand with security operations or this cycle will continue.

The attack in Khuzdar must become a call for action. We must not allow terrorists to masquerade as political actors. We must not let misplaced sympathies or revisionist narratives dilute their atrocities. The state owes it to every child in Balochistan – and every citizen of Pakistan – to take the war on terror seriously, without compromise, without delay and without confusion. Terrorism, no matter its guise, is an affront to our collective humanity. It is time to call it out, confront it head-on, and end it for good.