New Delhi, May 14 : The Balochistan Liberation Army has upped the ante against Pakistani security agencies, with intelligence assessments indicating that the attacks are likely to increase further in the coming months.

Pakistani security forces have suffered significant setbacks in recent months, while the ongoing tensions involving Iran are understood to have added to Islamabadâ??s security challenges, Indian security officials said.

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) is also believed to have increased its recruitment, with many young people joining the outfit amid concerns linked to security conditions, economic distress, and regional instability. Officials added that border areas in Balochistan remain under considerable strain because of the situation along the Iran frontier.

For years in Balochistan, the smuggling of Iranian oil has remained a key source of livelihood for many residents. Locals say the activity grew largely because of limited economic opportunities and what they describe as prolonged neglect by the Pakistani establishment.

Many among the Baloch population have long alleged that the regionâ??s resources have been exploited without adequate benefits reaching local communities. They argue that while foreign investments and development projects have expanded in Balochistan, the primary gains have largely gone to influential sections of Pakistanâ??s political and economic establishment and to residents of major urban centres.

This had led many in Balochistan to indulge in the smuggling of Iranian oil. However, the conflict in Iran has brought such operations to a standstill. This has led to soaring prices and hardships among the people in the region. Locals and observers say the Pakistani establishment has largely responded through intensified security measures rather than economic relief or outreach.

Analysts and officials believe the prevailing discontent has contributed to increased recruitment by the BLA among sections of the youth. Pakistani security forces have suffered repeated setbacks in recent weeks, while intelligence operations in several parts of Balochistan are said to be facing difficulties amid growing local hostility towards the establishment. Officials say this has complicated counterinsurgency efforts for the Pakistani forces operating in the region.

The challenges faced by Pakistani intelligence agencies were reflected in the recent attack in the Chamalang area, where 11 security personnel, including a Major, were killed. According to reports, the BLA carried out the strike while security forces were engaged in an intelligence-gathering operation. Major Tausif of the Pakistan Army, who was leading the operation, was among those killed.

An official said the BLAâ??s ability to target security forces while they were engaged in intelligence-gathering pointed to a serious lapse in the intelligence network. The official said, â??Public support for the group was one factor behind the failure, while another was Pakistanâ??s attempt to handle multiple security challenges at the same time.â??

The divided focus has stretched the forces thin and contributed to the losses they are suffering, the official added.

While the BLA has invested heavily in recruitment and the modernisation of its weaponry, it has also focused on training its cadres in local terrain and ground conditions. Officials say this has given the group a tactical advantage, as many personnel in the Pakistani security forces are unfamiliar with the difficult terrain in the region.

Another official said the BLA is likely to build on the Chamalang attack and carry out more such operations in the coming months. The group is expected to rely on coordinated assaults backed by improvised explosive devices deployed across the battlefield.

â??Future attacks could be more ambitious in scale, posing a tougher challenge for the Pakistani security forces,â?? the official said.

Indian intelligence agencies have also gathered that the BLA may increasingly focus on targeting senior security officials in greater numbers rather than limiting its attacks to soldiers alone.

The aim is to send a stronger message to the Pakistani establishment, an Intelligence Bureau official said. According to the official, Pakistan has attempted to bring together groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Islamic State Khorasan Province to support the security forces in their fight against the BLA. However, the official claimed that these groups have so far been unable to match the operational strength of the BLA or the backing it receives from sections of the Baloch population.

/IANS