QUETTA : The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has announced the death of its Central Commander and founding member of its Senior Command Council, Abdul Basit Zehri, also known by his Qazi. He passed away on June 26, 2025, following a long battle with kidney failure, according to a statement issued by BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch.
Describing his passing as “the end of an era,” the BLA paid tribute to Qazi as a pillar of the Baloch national resistance, an ideological, military and organizational leader who was instrumental in the group’s transformation into a modern and structured insurgent movement.
Born in 1981 in Zehri, Khuzdar, Basit Zehri joined the BLA in 2006. Starting his role as an urban guerrilla fighter, he played a critical part in shaping the tactics and structure of urban warfare in key Balochistan cities such as Quetta, Khuzdar, Hub Chowki and Gwadar. His strategic foresight, military expertise, and leadership laid the foundation for the BLA’s urban resistance doctrine, the group said.
From Rebel Fighter to Institutional Architect
Qazi was not merely a military tactician, he was described as a “school of thought,” known for institutionalizing the guerrilla movement and broadening its scope. By 2010, he had moved to the mountainous frontlines, where he led and coordinated several large-scale operations, restructured intelligence networks and played a pivotal role in training and ideologically grooming new recruits.
In 2018, under the leadership of the late General Aslam Baloch, the BLA underwent major reorganization into a modern, hierarchical resistance movement. Qazi was appointed Central Commander and joined the Senior Command Council, the BLA’s top decision-making body, where he remained active until his death.
Despite suffering from severe kidney disease starting in 2018, which required a transplant, Qazi remained deeply involved in the BLA’s organizational and military planning. His persistence and participation even during illness became a source of inspiration for younger members, the BLA said.
Vision Beyond the Battlefield
Qazi envisioned the BLA not just as an armed group, but as the foundation of a future Baloch national structure. He pushed for the development of non-military sectors including finance, media, research, cyber defense, political networking and intelligence areas that the BLA says now form the backbone of its institutional strength.
“He believed resistance without intellectual, scientific and technological grounding was nothing more than reactionary,” said the spokesperson, adding that Qazi played a key role in creating BLA’s research cells, policy forums, cyber units and communication networks.
Personal Sacrifices and Family Losses
His commitment to the cause came at great personal cost. The Pakistani state allegedly targeted his family over the years:
- His 12-year-old brother Majeed Zehri was killed in 2010.
- His father Mohammad Ramzan Zehri was allegedly assassinated by intelligence agencies in 2011.
- His brother Abdul Hai Zehri died during a mission in 2012.
- Two cousins, Abdul Samad and Sher Mohammad, were killed in combat in 2014.
- Another cousin, Zia-ur-Rehman Zehri, reportedly took his own life during a battle to avoid capture.
- Yet another relative, Rashid Hussain, was abducted from Dubai and remains missing.
- His elder brother Abdul Hafeez Zehri was also abducted by state forces.
Despite these losses, the BLA says Qazi’s ideological commitment never wavered. He remained a source of resilience for the organization, turning personal tragedies into collective motivation for the resistance.
Legacy and Commemoration
The BLA announced that one of its key military units will be renamed in Qazi’s honor a symbolic but also functional step, signaling a commitment to carry forward his strategic vision and organizational model.
“Qazi was not just a battlefield commander. He was a visionary, a builder of institutions and an intellectual force. He shaped our strategy for the future one based on discipline, science and statecraft,” said the BLA. “His death is not just a personal loss, but the conclusion of a chapter that redefined the Baloch resistance.”
The statement concluded with a pledge to expand Qazi’s work across all sectors of the movement, emphasizing that his policies and frameworks will continue to guide the BLA. “His martyrdom is a responsibility we now carry to complete the mission he gave two decades of his life to.”
