Balochistan’s festering wounds

THE latest wave of militant violence gripping the country may have shaken the corridors of power but so far there have been few signs of any course correction. There is not even an attempt to understand what has gone wrong and what needs to be done. The latest attacks in KP and Balochistan are a grim reminder of the existentialist threat to the country, which has re-emerged with greater ferocity than before.

While the nature of the security problems in the two provinces is different, the combined effect has added to the complexity of the terrorist threat. External factors and internal instability have together compounded the challenges that the state confronts. It’s an extremely alarming situation, which requires strategic thinking to tackle. The most important lesson lies in repression and the denial of people’s rights.

What’s happening in Balochistan is largely the result of our flawed policy over the decades. Kinetic responses to a mainly political problem has pushed many towards militancy. An administration, which is the product of political engineering and is propped up by the security establishment, is on the verge of collapse. Many see it as an almost civil war-like situation in the province, with the insurgents dominating the narrative.

A low-intensity conflict that had gripped the province for more than two decades is fast turning into a full-blown insurgency, with the local population’s rising alienation from the state. Separatist groups are conducting attacks as the writ of the provincial administration diminishes.

What’s happening in Balochistan is largely the result of our flawed policy over the decades.

Days after the bloody train hijacking episode, a blast near a bus carrying security personnel left a number of soldiers killed and wounded. The latest spike in attacks, mostly targeting the security forces, shows the growing capacity of the separatist forces to launch high-profile attacks. The attacks are becoming increasingly brazen and widespread.

In the first month of the new year, dozens of heavily armed militants reportedly stormed a Levies station in Khuzdar district and set up checkpoints around town. Although the raid lasted for only a few hours, the incident marked a shift from the hit-and-run strategy of the militants to actually taking control. Roadblocks have become more frequent. Last month, 18 soldiers were killed in an overnight insurgent attack in Kalat district marking one of the deadliest days for security forces.

The year 2024 witnessed the highest number of terrorist attacks in Pakistan in a decade. Most of them were targeted but militants reportedly also clashed with security forces and blocked highways connecting the province with other parts of the country. Recent unconfirmed footage showed gunmen roaming the streets of Turbat, the second largest city of the province. Government officials were also targeted. There was complete mayhem in the troubled districts.

Violence by Baloch separatist factions, primarily the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), has killed some 225 people in the past year. Most of the attacks have taken place in a region that has long been the centre of political discontent. Each terrorist attack led to the military launching a renewed kinetic operation. The areas worst affected include the coastal belt and the region bordering Iran. It is also the region where China is helping with the development of the key seaport of Gwadar.

The recent surge in attacks on Chinese nationals working on various CPEC projects in Balochistan has been most worrisome. Meanwhile, ordinary Pakistani citizens, mainly from Punjab, are also being targeted. In some instances, passengers have been offloaded from buses on the main highway and shot in cold blood. Such incidents have given a horrific turn to the separatist militancy.

Balochistan has been struggling with poor security for decades. The region is home to several armed groups, including the BLA, which wants Balochistan to secede. The militant group, which was formed in the 1970s, originally comprised mainly Marri tribesmen loyal to Nawab Khair Baksh Marri. But later its composition changed. Today, the BLA boasts many members from the educated, middle class. Growing political and economic discontent has united the educated Baloch and the tribesmen.

The Baloch have long accused the central government of discrimination. Many of them feel they won’t get their rights through democratic and legal means. Political engineering through manipulated elections has reinforced such misgivings. Even Baloch nationalist parties, which believe in the struggle for their political and economic rights within the ambit of the federation, have now been sidelined.

Unsurprisingly, there has been a huge escalation in militant violence in the province after the 2024 elections, which were massively rigged. Non-representative elements cannot provide political stability. The province has virtually been ruled by the security establishment, widening the distrust between the people and the state.

The denial of democratic rights, state oppression and poverty have pushed many, particularly the educated youth, towards militancy. The separatist groups, which allegedly also receive support from other countries, are now better organised and armed with sophisticated weaponry, which has enabled them to carry out the kind of attacks we have witnessed recently.

There is certainly strong evidence of the separatist groups having links with countries hostile to Pakistan but it is internal discontent which is being exploited by external forces. We need to put our own house in order to thwart any foreign interference.

There can be no two views about the state’s right to use force to fight the separatist insurgency. But there is also a need to address the causes of political and economic discontent, which are feeding into the rising insurgency in the province. The people of Balochistan need a healing touch. They don’t need to be subjected to force aimed at crushing dissent. The problem of Balochistan is a chronic one and a direct consequence of a repressive system.

The writer is an author and journalist.

zhussain100@yahoo.com

X: @hidhussain

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2025

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