Armed attacks have recently taken place in ten districts of Pakistan’s Balochistan province. In this, many security personnel as well as common people lost their lives. With this, the issue of Balochistan separatism has once again come to the fore in Pakistan.
–Galla S Kiran Kumar, Bureau Chief
Separatists are striking again in Pakistan’s Balochistan . Recently, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has announced that attacks on police stations, railway lines and vehicles are their work. The gunmen blocked the main highway and alighted the passengers from the bus after looking at their identity cards and shot them dead. 23 people died in this incident alone. BLA has been attacking the Pakistan Army since the beginning of 2000, demanding the right of self-determination of the Baloch people and the emergence of a separate region from Pakistan. Along with Pakistan, USA and UK have declared it as a terrorist organization.
Very unhappy
The Balochistan region is spread across South-West Pakistan, South-East Iran and South Afghanistan. The local tribe of this region is Balochi people. Over the centuries, they have retained their unique identity in the face of external forces and geopolitical developments. 50 percent of Baloch people live in Baloch province of Pakistan. About 40 percent live in Sindh, while a few live in Punjab, Pakistan. Their share in the total population of Pakistan is 3.6 percent. Baloch people constitute two percent of the population of Iran and Afghanistan. The Baloch people believe that they migrated from the shores of the Caspian Sea to where they currently live in the 12th century. Most of them are Sunni Muslims. Compared to Iran and Afghanistan, the lion’s share of Balochistan is in Pakistan. It is about 44 percent of the total territory of Pakistan.
The Balochistan separatist movement has a long history. Until the British annexed Balochistan to British India in the 19th century, the region was independent under its own tribal rule. Balochistan became a part of Pakistan after the partition of India. At that time the King who was ruling most of Balochistan with Kalat as the center first demanded for an independent country. He was under intense pressure to join Pakistan. This was opposed by many people of Balochistan. This was the foundation of separatism. In this sequence, Baloch nationalists staged large-scale revolts on several occasions. Baloch separatists say they are economically backward compared to other parts of Pakistan. Balochistan is a land of precious resources like gold, diamonds, silver and copper. However, the people living here are poor. Widely publicized as a Baloch separatist group, the BLA has carried out heavy attacks on Pakistan’s army, police, journalists, civilians and educational institutions since 2000. Lashkar Balochistan and Balochistan Liberation United Front are other separatist organizations in the region. The separatists want more autonomy, independence and full sovereignty for the Baloch people.
Allegations of Pakistan crossing the border
The fact that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which was undertaken by Xi Jinping, passes through Balochistan is fueling the dispute. Government of Pakistan hopes that CIPEC will contribute to economic growth. However, the locals feel that this is a ploy to loot the resources of their area, which is of no benefit to them. Attacks on projects and personnel related to CIPEC, especially the Chinese, have increased recently. Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea, which is a part of SIPEC, is also located in the Balochistan region. The situation is getting more complicated as Pakistan is suppressing Baloch separatism with an iron fist. According to Amnesty International, around 10,000 Baloch people have disappeared since 2011. Pakistan accuses India and other neighboring countries of supporting Baloch separatist groups in the wake of border disputes. India denied this. India has repeatedly expressed concern on human rights abuses in Balochistan on international forums. On the one hand, playing India without caring about the real welfare of the Baloch people and their problems reflects Pakistan’s double standards.
