Bharti Mishra Nath

On August 26, one of the bloodiest attacks in Pakistan’s Balochistan province occurred, with over 70 people, including Pakistan Army soldiers, reportedly killed by the separatist group Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). The date held significant meaning for Balochistan as it marked the 18th death anniversary of Nawab Akbar Bugti, a Baloch nationalist leader killed by the Pakistani military in 2006.

The BLA’s Majeed Brigade, its suicide squad, conducted a coordinated attack across various parts of Balochistan. The assault involved blowing up infrastructure such as railway tracks and bridges and resulted in the deaths of migrant labourers from Punjab.

The Baloch rebellion in Pakistan stems from both historical and contemporary resentments, impacting stability in India and the broader region. Balochistan has a long history of political unrest, economic oppression, anti-Punjabi sentiment, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings. These issues have rekindled the fight for Baloch nationalism. For two decades, the mineral-rich province has experienced low-level insurgency against Pakistan’s central government, accompanied by brutal retaliatory actions.

Pakistan has described the recent attacks as a “nefarious scheme supported by external rivals to undermine its development ties with Beijing”.

The BLA is considered the largest armed group in Balochistan, with thousands of members. It collaborates closely with the Baloch Liberation Front (BLF), another major separatist militant group advocating for Baloch self-determination. Both groups have been labelled as “terrorist organisations” by Pakistan.

The 1999 Coup

Many Baloch believe they were coerced into joining Pakistan in 1948. The princely state of Kalat, now part of Balochistan, briefly enjoyed independence before being ‘forced’ into accession with Pakistan. Apart from initial resistance, there were uprisings in 1958 and 1977 seeking either independence or greater autonomy.

Pervez Musharraf’s military coup in 1999 further alienated the Baloch from Pakistan. Distrust of Punjabi dominance in the Pakistani army and bureaucracy, along with the lack of Baloch representation, has been a persistent issue. In one of Musharraf’s counter-insurgency operations, Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugti was killed in 2006. Pakistan has not made significant efforts to integrate the region or address the local issues of its inhabitants.

“The Baloch have been alienated by the Pakistani state since the country’s inception. This alienation has intensified over the past two decades due to Pakistan’s failure to engage in meaningful reflection and its numerous cases of enforced disappearances, torture, and killings of Baloch activists,” says Malik Siraj Akbar, a political analyst based in Washington, D.C.

How Things Stand Today

Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province by area but remains one of its most impoverished regions. Years of poverty, neglect, and mistreatment by the central government have fueled anger, which is exploited by separatists. Revenue from Balochistan’s rich natural resources has been used to develop other parts of Pakistan, including Punjab and Sindh, which are more prosperous. Balochistan contributes only 4% to Pakistan’s economy.

The province also lags in social development indicators, with the highest infant and maternal mortality rates, the highest poverty rate, and the lowest literacy rate in Pakistan.

There is no forum for dissent, as enforced disappearances of thousands of Balochs continue. Political parties in Balochistan, which previously formed most provincial governments, lost power in controversial elections. Later, Islamabad supported puppet leaders, worsening the situation.

“While Pakistan may appear to be a democratic state, real power rests with its military and intelligence agencies, which are primarily blamed for the violence in Balochistan,” says Akbar. “Unless the military ends its illegal operations and is held accountable, any confidence-building measures with the Baloch and prospects for negotiations are unlikely,” he adds.

Apart from using brutal force and repression, the Pakistani establishment has also failed to engage with civil rights movements in Balochistan. Resentment is so high that in the current uprising, the Baloch nationalist movement has garnered support from women, children, and the families of the missing persons, with some even joining the suicide bombers.

Baloch separatists are also opposed to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which passes through Balochistan and is seen as an example of exploitation. They have targeted Chinese workers as part of their resistance. Balochistan is a crucial location in China’s multi-billion-dollar CPEC, part of President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In January, insurgents attacked government offices in Gwadar, a key hub for Chinese investments in energy and infrastructure. The BLA also targeted Pakistan’s largest naval air force base.

The current insurgency is driven by the construction of Gwadar, a Chinese-funded project announced in 2001 intended to transform the small village into a port city like Dubai. The Pakistani government has excluded Baloch from the development process, employing Chinese engineers and non-Baloch Pakistani workers, fueling antipathy and violence. The Taliban’s seizure of neighbouring Afghanistan has also enhanced the capabilities of armed groups in the region, including Baloch separatists.

Pakistan Should Stop Blaming Others

Pakistan has accused India of providing arms, training, and financial support to insurgent groups in Balochistan. India denies these allegations and has urged Pakistan to examine its own support for terrorism. In 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks highlighting Pakistan’s atrocities and repression of the Baloch people had sparked controversy in Islamabad.

India has been closely monitoring the situation in Balochistan and has expressed concerns about rising attacks in both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan since the Taliban’s return to Kabul. Pakistan needs to abandon the policy of rewarding those who attack Baloch nationalists and stop promoting conspiracy theories that India, Iran, and Afghanistan are behind all the tumult in Balochistan.

“Pakistan has mastered the art of externalising responsibility for its self-created problems. Unable to address the two-decade-long insurgency in Balochistan despite using brutal tactics similar to those in East Pakistan in 1971, Pakistan has intermittently blamed India for its troubles,” says Tilak Devasher, a member of the National Security Advisory Board, India. “It has, however, failed to produce any evidence to substantiate its claims. Consequently, its assertions are not taken seriously by the international community,” adds Devasher.

Pakistan must demonstrate political will to address the Balochistan issue by engaging with civil rights groups, involving Baloch in the development process, and alleviating their poverty and suffering. Meanwhile, India continues to observe the situation closely.