Lahore: In a startling admission before Pakistan’s National Assembly, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif revealed that Baloch separatist rebels are armed with advanced American-made weapons, including high-end rifles and night-vision devices, which even the Pakistani military lacks.
His remarks came amid escalating violence in Balochistan, where rebels launched coordinated attacks across multiple locations recently, seizing control of installations and inflicting heavy casualties.
Asif described the security forces as “physically handicapped” in countering the insurgency, citing the province’s vast terrain — over 40 per cent of Pakistan’s landmass — as a major challenge. He highlighted the rebels’ superior equipment: rifles valued at around PKR 2 million (approximately ₹6 lakh), thermal weapon sights costing $4,000–$5,000 each, and overall military gear worth nearly $20,000 per fighter. “We don’t have those rifles… They had thermal weapon sights… The rifles and night-vision devices they had were American weapons,” Asif stated, questioning the funding and source of these arms. He alleged that rebel leadership operates from Afghanistan, receiving external support.
The recent offensive saw rebels target police stations, administrative offices, and military posts in at least 12–14 areas. Pakistani authorities claim to have killed around 200 insurgents in retaliation, while Baloch groups assert they eliminated over 80 security personnel and abducted several others.
Asif’s candid disclosure has intensified debates on the growing strength of the Baloch insurgency, potential foreign involvement, and the Pakistani military’s struggles in the restive province, home to the strategic China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The admission underscores the deepening security crisis in Balochistan.