Pakistan confronts rising unrest in Balochistan and Kashmir regions

The Pakistani army launched Operation Shaban in Balochistan after coordinated attacks in early July that killed dozens of security personnel. Separatist groups claim more than 45 soldiers were killed, though figures remain unverified. The operation involves the army, Frontier Corps and provincial police. Former Balochistan chief minister Nawab Aslam Khan Raisani warned that punitive measures such as orchard tree cutting or mosque bombings cannot resolve the province’s grievances and called for a serious political dialogue.

In Pakistan‑occupied Kashmir, protests have intensified, challenging Islamabad’s narrative of control. Demonstrations, strikes and road blockades have turned violent, leaving nine people dead in July clashes in Tararkhal and Rawalakot and bringing the death toll since the unrest began to roughly thirty. Authorities have responded with arrests, bans on the Joint Awami Action Committee, internet shutdowns and the application of anti‑terrorism laws, framing the movement as an insurgency rather than a civilian demand for representation and economic justice.