|
Name of Organization |
Lashkar-e-Balochistan (LeB) |
|
Formation |
Lashkar-e-Balochistan is a
militant and separatist group based in Pakistan’s
Balochistan province that was formed in the year
2009.
No information is available about the initial
formation of the group. |
|
Leadership |
Leader: Javed Mengal
Javed Mengal allegedly heads
Lashkar-e-Balochistan from London while in exile.
He is
Nawab Khair Baksh Marri’s
son-in-law and politician
Akhtar Mengal’s
brother.
Bahawal Mengal
Abdul Qadir Qalmiti
identified Bahawal Mengal as leader of
Lashkar-e-Balochistan who resides in London.
The members of Lashkar-e-Balochistan operate
according to instructions of Bahawal Mengal.
Spokesperson: Khan Baloch
|
|
School of thought/ Classification |
Baloch-Nationalism
Baloch-Nationalism is a
movement of Baloch, the ethno-linguistic group of
Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran.
It aims to unite Baloch and fight for freedom of the
province free from the influence of these countries. |
|
Ideology |
Lashkar-e-Balochistan fights
for the freedom of Balochistan Province from
Pakistan using arms. The group shares grievances
with the Pakistani state and army for political
repression over the years, alleged extra-judicial
killings, ignoring Balochistan’s developmental needs
and exploitation of its natural resources. They also
oppose the active interest shown in their region by
International powers such as China.
The group believes in making political statements
through armed action; it has criticized its fellow
separatist group Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) for
being ‘more active on social media than on the
battle ground’.
Since LeB does not recognize the Pakistani state, it
opposes all forms of governmental polls in the
province of Balochistan. |
|
Framework |
No information is available about the framework of
this organization. |
|
Financial resources
|
A source confirms that Bahawal
Mengal, leader of Lashkar-e-Balochistan, is involved
in funding terrorism.
No further information is available about the
group’s financial resources. |
|
Recruitment tools & demographics |
The BSO-A is a movement that
actively recruits youth members into the Baloch
separatist movement. The youth of Balochistan are
attracted to the struggle’s central premise of
building an independent national identity and
fighting against the perceived injustices and
oppression of the Pakistani state and the army.
There have already been four waves of uprisings
since Pakistan’s inception in 1947; the BSO-A is a
part of the fifth
one, which is currently under way. It is also
engaging youth through social media forums. |
|
Connections & linkages |
No information is available
about linkages of Lashkar-e-Balochistan with any
other organization. |
|
Areas of Operation |
Central Balochistan
Karachi and Interior Sindh |
|
Tools |
Offline Tools
Not known
Online Tools
Facebook:
Lashkar-e-Balochistan Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/LashkareBaluchistanStruggleForFreedom
Twitter:
Not available
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dddjkzvsT4g&feature=share |
|
Name Variations |
Baluchistan Army |
|
Status |
Lashkar-e-Balochistan was
proscribed by the Government of Pakistan’s Ministry
of Interior on the 8th of September 2010.
The Commander |
Note
According to news sources Ubaidullah alias Beebarg, commander of
Lashkar-e-Balochistan, along with a group of insurgents
surrendered and are provided amnesty by government of Pakistan.
Lashkar-e-Balochistan organization confirms through social media
that Ubaidullah has no affiliation with Lashkar-e-Balochistan.
This source is no more accessible online.
Who they are
Lashkar-e-Balochistan is one of the armed militant groups who
are currently active in Balochistan and are fighting for the
independence of their province from Pakistan. The group has
alleged linkages with Balochistan’s Mengal tribe.
Members of the Lashkar-e-Balochistan consider the Pakistani
state, intelligence and army’s presence and policies in
Balochistan to have been repressive and exploitative.
They have targeted the convoys of Pakistani army’s Frontier
Corps (FC).
They want the oil and gas exploration companies such as the
Bolan Mining Company and others working on the Reko Diq, Saindak
and Chamalang projects in Balochistan to quit their activities
as they consider them it to be an act of ‘looting’.
History
As with other militant Balochi-nationalist groups,
Lashkar-e-Balochistan’s history can be traced back to the
Baloch-Nationalist struggle that has continued to persist since
1948, when Balochistan’s Khan of Kalat acceded his state to
newly formed state of Pakistan.
There was widespread resentment from the local Balochs, many of
whom did not agree with the idea of Pakistan, and feared
marginalization and Punjabi dominance. There have been four
local rebellions since; BSO-A constitutes the fifth one in a
series that has claimed hundreds of Pakistani soldiers and at
least 5000 Baloch.
In April 2012, the group claimed responsibility for a
‘retaliatory’ terrorist attack on the Lahore Railway Station
in which at least two individuals were killed and forty others
were injured. According to members of the group, the attack was
allegedly carried out as a response to the killings of Baloch
people by Pakistan’s law enforcing apparatus. The group also
claimed responsibility for the bomb blast outside the Chinese
Consulate in July 2012 in Karachi.
Organization’s Message
Not available
Target Audience
Lashkar-e-Balochistan is propagating their agenda through social
media platforms to target youth.
Tools
Online Tools
Facebook
The following Facebook page posts material that supports
Lashkar-e-Balochistan’s cause. However, it cannot be ascertained
whether the page is the group’s official page or not:
https://www.facebook.com/LashkareBaluchistanStruggleForFreedom
YouTube
Splinter Groups
Not available.
Annexure
Nawab Khair Baksh Marri
Nawab Khair Baksh Marri was a Baloch nationalist leader and led
a Baloch separatist organization, Balochistan Liberation Army
(BLA).
Akhtar Mengal
Akhtar Mengal is a Balochi politician, former chief minister and
the current president of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal
(BNP-M).
Abdul Qadir Qalmiti
Abdul Qadir Qalmiti alias Raketi
is an activist of Lashkar-e-Balochistan was arrested while
planting a bomb at police headquarters.
