Former banned outfit leader Gulzar Imam Shambay has revealed explosive details about the inner workings of Baloch insurgent groups, including the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), their foreign support, and the recruitment of youth into militancy. Speaking in an exclusive interview with ARY News, Shambay shed light on how militant movements evolved in Balochistan and the hidden networks that fueled them.
Ghaffar Lango’s Turn to Militancy
Shambay claimed that after the fall of Dr. Najibullah’s government in Afghanistan, Ghaffar Lango aligned himself with veteran nationalist leader Khair Bakhsh Marri. According to Shambay, Lango later shifted towards militancy, operating from the mountains of Balochistan and spearheading armed campaigns against the state.
BLA’s Foreign Support and Funding
The ex-militant alleged that groups such as the BLA cannot deny receiving assistance from India. He recalled a statement once attributed to Ataullah Mengal: “Even if the devil offers help against Pakistan, take it.” Shambay said this mindset has shaped militant strategies for decades, with groups openly depending on foreign support when convenient.
He further claimed that these outfits finance their operations through narcotics trafficking and other illegal activities, sustaining their armed campaigns by exploiting black-market economies.
Recruitment Through Student Organizations
According to Shambay, organizations like the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) act as “nurseries” for militancy. He alleged that BYC and similar groups were deliberately designed to funnel impressionable students into militant ranks. Young people, he said, are systematically radicalized and recruited under the guise of political or social activism.
He also pointed out that infighting among banned outfits frequently leads to the deaths of their own members. Shambay recalled bitter clashes between his supporters and those of Brahamdagh Bugti during 2014–15, adding that families of slain fighters were often misled with false accounts of how their loved ones died.
Afghan Connection and Access to Weapons
Shambay emphasized the regional dimension of Baloch militancy, alleging that the BLA continues to enjoy safe havens and weapons supplies from Afghanistan. He claimed that advanced U.S. military equipment, left behind after the war, entered Afghanistan’s black market and was being used to arm insurgent groups across the region.
Rejecting Militancy for Political Struggle
Reflecting on his own decision to leave militancy, Shambay underscored that armed struggle cannot deliver legitimate goals. “Resistance movements worldwide eventually choose reconciliation. We too realized that armed conflict was not the answer and chose to return to political struggle,” he said.
The Bigger Picture
Gulzar Imam Shambay’s disclosures reinforce longstanding allegations of foreign involvement, illegal financing, and systematic recruitment driving militancy in Balochistan. His testimony also highlights the disillusionment among former fighters who now believe reconciliation and political engagement remain the only path forward.
