Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies | PICSS

BRAS Announces “Decisive New War Strategy” Weekly Insight 28 Feb-06 March, 2025

During the week of February 28 to March 6, 2025, Pakistan witnessed a surge in militant violence, with 19 attacks reported across the country compared to 14 in the previous week. The week proved the deadliest of the year so far, with 87 people killed and 109 injured. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and erstwhile FATA remained the hardest-hit regions, recording 10 attacks, including a high-profile assault on Bannu Cantonment claimed by Jaish-i-Fursan Muhammad, killing five soldiers and 13 civilians. Nowshera saw a suicide bombing at Darul Uloom Haqqania, killing Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani and five others. Balochistan reported five attacks, including a suicide bombing by the BLA-Azad faction in Kalat targeting an FC convoy, and a remote- controlled blast in Khuzdar that killed five people. Punjab witnessed three attacks, while Sindh recorded a grenade attack on Karachi’s Preedy police station, injuring three policemen.

Militant groups remained active beyond violent attacks. The Baloch Raji Aajoi Sangar (BRAS) announced a “Decisive War Strategy,” signaling a shift towards more coordinated insurgent operations in Balochistan by unifying its leadership and intensifying attacks on Pakistani and Chinese interests. The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) sustained its propaganda efforts, releasing new editions of its Pashto magazine Sada-e-Taliban and weekly newspaper Manzil, reinforcing anti-state rhetoric and threatening law enforcement agencies.

On the counterterrorism front, Pakistan arrested ISKP operative Sharifullah and handed him over to the United States. His arrest was linked to the 2021 Kabul Airport attack, reflecting ongoing Pakistan-US counterterrorism cooperation.

Diplomatically, Pakistan’s Foreign Office rejected recent remarks by India’s External Affairs Minister regarding Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), reaffirming that Jammu and Kashmir remains an internationally recognized disputed territory and calling for a UN-supervised plebiscite.

In Afghan-related developments, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government formed a jirga to initiate talks with Afghanistan’s Taliban-led administration to address cross-border security issues, pending federal approval. Meanwhile, Afghanistan was ranked the most authoritarian regime globally in the Democracy Index 2024 by the Economist Intelligence Unit. Tensions at the Torkham border slightly eased following a partial halt in artillery shelling, though fears of renewed clashes lingered. The Taliban also banned the use of Pakistani rupees in commercial transactions in Nangarhar province, further straining cross-border economic ties.

The week’s events highlight the worsening security situation in KP, erstwhile FATA, and Balochistan, while diplomatic challenges with India, counterterrorism collaboration with the US, and evolving relations with Afghanistan add to Pakistan’s complex security landscape.

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