THE recent attack on the Army Public School (APS) in Khuzdar, allegedly orchestrated by the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) with backing from hostile foreign agencies, is yet another grim reminder of the persistent threat facingBalochistan.

Despite years of bloodshed as well as countless promises, the state remains unable to prevent such heinous acts targeting innocent lives. This tragedy is not an isolated incident. Just days earlier, a bomb blast had claimed the life of a young student, a recent graduate of the Government College (GC) University, Lahore, who was carrying on his shoulders the hopes of an entire family.

These back-to-back attacks have plunged the province into another dark hole of fear and sorrow. The people of Balochistan, long caught in the crossfire of militancy and neglect, are once again wondering how many more lives must be lost before their security becomes a national priority.

The state`s failure to dismantle such networks despite clear patterns andrepeated intelligence lapses speaks volumes about the urgent need for a reformed, robust and, more impartantly, accountable security strategy.

Balochistan bleeds silently, and withevery blast, the silence grows louder. It is time to listen, and to do something concrete.

Hameed Khan Quetta