Land degradation and desertification are critical environmental challenges that threaten ecosystem stability, food security, and sustainable livelihoods, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. This study evaluates the spatio-temporal extent and dynamics of land degradation and desertification in the semi-arid districts of Musakhel and Barkhan, Balochistan, Pakistan, using multi-temporal Landsat datasets spanning 1990 to 2024. A suite of spectral indices, including the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Soil-Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI), Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI), Bare Soil Index (BSI), Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI), Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI), Soil Salinity Index (SI), and Land Surface Temperature (LST), was integrated to derive the Desertification Vulnerability Index (DVI). The results reveal a significant increase in moderate desertification vulnerability, which expanded spatially from 26.24% in 1990 to 67.9% in 2015 and 71.63% in 2024. Conversely, less vulnerable areas declined markedly from 73.49% in 1990 to 31.75% in 2015 and 27.60% in 2024. The southern areas of Musakhel and the majority of Barkhan are recognized as the most affected areas. The observed trends are mainly controlled by increasing soil salinity, growth of bare and urban land, varying vegetation cover, and an increasing land surface temperature trend. The prevailing trend of land degradation and desertification in the study area indicates the necessity for proper land restoration and management measures. Targeted measures such as sustainable rangeland management, reforestation, controlled grazing, and conservation water use practices need to be adopted to halt vulnerability and achieve long-term ecological and socio-economic resilience of semi-arid Balochistan, Pakistan.