'Rifles, Night Vision Devices': Baloch Rebels Have What Pakistani Forces Lack, Says Defence Minister

Last Updated:February 04, 2026, 23:08 IST

Amid a heightened national security crisis, Pakistan's defence minister Khawaja Asif admitted to the security forces being "handicapped" in the face of the Baloch rebels

Pakistani defence minister Khawaja Asif said the security forces have been unsuccessful in their efforts to contain the escalating rebellion in Balochistan, which is the largest province of Pakistan. (Image: AP/File)

In a recent address in the Assembly on the ongoing Balochistan violence in Pakistan, defence minister Khawaja Asif admitted to the security forces being “handicapped" in the face of the Baloch rebels.

Amid the heightened national security crisis, Khawaja Asif revealed that Baloch rebels are frequently better equipped than the Pakistani forces, possessing advanced weaponry and night-vision technology that often surpass standard military issue.

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Asif said the security forces have been unsuccessful in their efforts to contain the escalating rebellion in Balochistan, which is the largest province of Pakistan. Attributing the struggle to the vast and challenging geography of the province, he acknowledged that the government and army have faced significant setbacks in countering the insurgency.

“Our troops are deployed there and are in action against them, but they are physically handicapped by guarding and patrolling such a big area," Asif said, adding that Balochistan constitutes over 40 percent of Pakistan’s landmass that makes it far more difficult to control than a densely populated city.

Questioning the source of such funding, he said Baloch rebels were using thermal weapon sights valued at up to USD 5,000 and rifles worth PKRs 2 million.

“Who is providing funds for it?" he asked during his address, announcing plans to deploy massive troop reinforcements in the province.

Asif further said this military escalation is intended to dismantle a criminal nexus between separatist movements, tribal elders, the bureaucracy, and smugglers., He also alleged that criminal gangs are operating under the banner of the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) to protect lucrative smuggling operations, specifically citing oil smuggling that previously generated up to PKRs 4 billion a day.

Balochistan, bordering Iran and Afghanistan, is home to a long-running violent insurgency. Baloch insurgent groups have previously carried out several attacks targeting the USD 60 billion CPEC projects. The Pakistani government has firmly rejected the long-standing narrative of regional deprivation and the issue of “missing persons" in the province.

The minister claimed that the province has seen significant development, noting that Balochistan possesses more airports than any other province. Regarding the “missing persons" lists, he alleged the narrative was “concocted" and that the names of terrorists killed in action are often found on these lists.

“Terrorists and criminal elements have hijacked all these narratives," he said.

He accused the BLA of using the “guise of a freedom movement" to legitimise violent attacks against civilians and critical infrastructure. He said these elements are operating as “proxies" supported by India, with leadership based in Afghanistan.

His remarks come in the wake of a series of deadly coordinated assaults at 12 locations across Balochistan, which resulted in security forces killing 177 militants. Asif warned that the state will now unleash “brutal force" and its “full might" to eliminate the insurgency.

(With agency inputs)

News world 'Rifles, Night Vision Devices': Baloch Rebels Have What Pakistani Forces Lack, Says Defence Minister

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