Reading time : 2 minutes
The grappling nation simply needs to pause the blame game and divert its attention to the aggrieved groups ensuring that its soil should not be used as a source of cultivating and accelerating terrorism. Or else, the cycle of alienation and deadly attacks are bound to continue
By Megha Bajaj
The recent Balochistan train hijack incident is one of the most dreadful events that has left Pakistan struggling. A passenger train, the Jaffer Express, carrying 380 passengers from Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, to Peshawar in Pakistan, was hijacked by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) on March 11. This gave rise to a tense hostage situation, which led to a rescue operation by the army on March 12. The incident claimed 63 lives, including that of more than 33 militants.
Passengers who managed to save themselves from the horrific situation have stated that they walked for long hours without water, enduring constant hunger to stay alive. The visuals of survivors and the deceased have triggered a wave of grief and despondency on social media.
However, the efforts of Pakistan’s security forces should be acknowledged for rescuing the passengers and eliminating the rebels. Unfortunately, they have been unable to halt the separatists’ perilous actions, which implicitly target Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government and weakens its authority over the nation.
Besides, successive governments have failed to recognize the root cause of the BLA’s revolt, the mass disconntent in this region, and Balochistsan’s deeper social and political concerns, which have been festering since decades. Indeed, the province has remained underdeveloped, ignored and deprived since 1947. One of the main grudge of the people here is that the Punjabis and Sindhis have grabbed all the fruits and privileges of power in the mainland, leaving this province in a state of permanent marginalisation.
In the aftermath of the attack, the President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, expressed concern about the flow of funds and endorsement to separatist groups, hinting at India and Afghanistan as potential sources of the terror attack. Both countries, however, strongly dismissed these allegations.
The Ministry of External Affairs of India responded, stating: “We strongly reject the baseless allegations made by Pakistan. The whole world knows where the epicenter of global terrorism lies. Pakistan should look inwards instead of pointing fingers and shifting the blame for its own internal problems and failures onto others.”
These attacks highlight the ongoing issues in Balochistan, which are somewhat also linked to Chinese interests, particularly the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and related infrastructure projects. Numerous Chinese and Western companies have invested billions in the province with the vague hope of economic development.
However, the rampant exploitation of the province’s resources and the grievances of local communities have ultimately fueled the insurgency, which targets Pakistan. The Pakistani government has failed to address the province’s longstanding problems, especially as China, an all-weather ally, has become its top priority, a relationship the country is unwilling to lose.
In recent months, attacks have escalated as Baloch separatists have increasingly used aggressive tactics to target security forces and Chinese-funded infrastructure. There have also been reports of forced displacement allegedly carried out by security forces, further stoking discontent among locals against the Pakistani government.
For example, the Chinese-backed airport, in which China has invested billions, was intended to facilitate trade between western China and Central Asia, connecting to the Indian Ocean. However, locals view the province as a security quagmire, with tight security measures focused on protecting Chinese investments.
A report in The Print (January 21, 2023), reported that China is playing a major role in the local economy. Notably, the Chinese company that mines gold, silver, and copper in the Balochistan province claimed profits of around USD 75 million in 2021 (Invest Pakistan, January 14, 2022), despite disruptions caused by Covid. Predictably, a large chunk of these profits will be sent back to China.
Supporters of the mining say it has helped fund better education and health facilities, as well as create jobs. However, others argue that their lives have not improved significantly.
The reality on the ground is that Balochistan remains an impoverished and neglected province, trapped in the margins since decades, and the lucrative Saindak copper and gold projects triggered by Chinese investment, has become symbolic of the suffering of the people, which generates profits for the Pakistani State, while locals continue to suffer.
The latest news is of another attack on a Pakistani military convoy, targeted by the BLA, resulting in the reported death of 90 military personnel. The convoy, consisting of eight buses, saw one bus completely destroyed. The separatist group has claimed responsibility for the attack, while the Pakistan police reported only five fatalities.
Pakistan’s blind preoccupation with Kashmir has led to the neglect of several other festering issues within the region, fueling these terrible attacks that are shaking the entire nation. These incidents also have lamentable humanitarian consequences, including significant financial losses.The grappling nation simply needs to pause the blame game and divert its attention to the aggrieved groups ensuring that its soil should not be used as a source of cultivating and accelerating terrorism. Or else, the cycle of alienation and deadly attacks are bound to continue.
Graphics by : Hassan Raza.