New Delhi: The situation in Balochistan is getting worse by the day, with the Pakistan Army unleashing havoc on the people out there. In the name of counterterrorism, the army has been killing people in large numbers.
Further, over 900 forced disappearances have also been reported in the province. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which has been protesting against the minerals deal and also the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Project (CPEC), is being targeted largely by the army. The BLA has been stating that their region is tapped for minerals and other resources, but the reforms never reach them.
With the United States now labelling the BLA as a terrorist entity, the army has gone all hog against the organisation. However, Intelligence sources say that it is not just those who are part of the BLA who are being targeted. The army intends to carry out a massive genocide, and in this bid, many innocent civilians have been killed.
With both the US and China showing interest in the region, Pakistan has come under pressure to keep Balochistan free from violence. Officials say that instead of addressing the concerns of the people, the army has decided to use violence against them. The army has been using choppers, drones and personnel on the ground to target the Baloch people.
During his recent visit to China, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was told clearly that there would be no investment by the Chinese for the CPEC-2 project. The Chinese told the Pakistanis to raise the money, but stressed that the project would go on. One of the key reasons for this is that Pakistan has failed miserably on the security front. China has incurred huge losses both in terms of people and infrastructure owing to violent attacks by the BLA and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Moreover, the Chinese also sought details about the minerals deal that Pakistan had entered into with the US. China also made it clear that it, too, is interested in the minerals in Balochistan.
Pakistan’s problem is that it is not able to guarantee either the US or China’s security in Balochistan. The BLA and the TTP are proving to be too powerful for the army.
Further, the army could not go all out against the BLA as it would amount to killing its own people. During the meeting that Pakistan Army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, held in the US, he was able to impress upon President Donald Trump to have the BLA designated as a terror outfit. Once the US did so, the army went all out to kill people in Balochistan in the name of counterterrorism.
In reality, the Pakistan Army wants complete control over the region. It also does not want the people of Balochistan to even exist out there. The Indian agencies anticipate that the action against the civilians is going to get even more intense in the days to come. Gross human rights violations, like never before, could be expected in Balochistan.
For Pakistan, it is a desperate situation. It cannot get the people of the region on board, as there is no trust. Moreover, with China seeking its pound of flesh both in terms of security and the money it has loaned Pakistan, there is no choice for the army but to go on an offensive.
For Islamabad, the minerals deal with the US is extremely crucial for its finances. If that deal does not go through, then it would face the Chinese wrath as Islamabad will not be able to pay for CPEC-2. Amidst this mix, the innocent people of Balochistan are losing their lives in hundreds.
(IANS)
