The surge in deadly attacks by the Balochistan Liberation Army in Pakistan’s largest province has deep historical roots and is driven by demands for independence and control over resources
Pakistan’s Balochistan province is again seeing a surge in deadly attacks, fueled by demands for independence and control over local resources. The most recent attacks, which took place on August 26, resulted in at least 70 deaths. The coordinated assaults targeted police stations, railway lines and highways. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for these deadly attacks. Significantly, the attacks coincided with a visit to Islamabad by General Li Qiaoming, Commander of the Ground Forces of the People’s Liberation Army of China. Who are these rebels and what is the conflict all about?
The Baloch are a Sunni Muslim ethnic group who live on both sides of the Iran-Pakistan border, and also in parts of southern Afghanistan. For decades, efforts for autonomy or independence have been met with violent suppression on both sides of the border. In Pakistan, such efforts are viewed as attempts to fragment the nation, while in Iran, the situation is further complicated by the Baloch being a Sunni Muslim minority in a predominantly Shiite country. Balochistan is the most sparsely populated province of Pakistan. Although it occupies 44 per cent of the land area, its population is just 7 per cent of Pakistan’s population. Balochistan is rich in mineral resources. Coal, Sulphur, chromite, iron ore, barite, marble, quartzite, and limestone are all abundant in the province. Balochistan has significant oil and natural gas reserves, and also considerable quantities of copper and gold.
Baloch separatism is deep rooted in history. Balochistan consisted of four princely states under the British Raj — Kalat, Makran, Las Bela and Kharan. In 1947, the Khan of Kalat, the ruler of the largest of these princely states chose independence, which was an option given to all the 535 princely states of British India. The other Balochi chiefs also expressed their preference for a separate identity. However, Pakistan sent in its army which forced the Khan of Kalat to give up his independence. The Khan signed the instrument of accession on March 27, 1948, over seven months after the formation of Pakistan. Even after the accession of Kalat to Pakistan, Baloch separatism has continued to rear its menacing head from time to time. Major conflicts between Baloch separatists and the Pakistan army have taken place regularly.
I was posted as Consul in Karachi in the early 1980, and I had travelled to Balochistan a few times. I had observed that the Balochis nursed grievances that they are being exploited by the Punjabi-dominated ruling elite which includes the army, the political class and their business interests. Their resentment has only grown over time and taken more and more militant forms. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) is the most well-known Baloch separatist group. Other separatist groups include Lashkar-e-Balochistan and the Balochistan Liberation Front. These separatist groups argue that the local population does not receive a fair share of the profits from the resources of the province, and that as a result poverty is rife there.
The BLA is the largest Baloch militant group and has been fighting an insurgency against the Pakistani government for decades, seeking independence for Balochistan. It is now allied with the Pakistan Taliban, and both target the Pakistan security forces. Chinese cooperation with the Pakistan government is seen by the BLA as a threat to their cause. The region of Balochistan is a major focus of the China-Pakistan-Economic-Corridor(CPEC). The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) opposes the Chinese investments in the province, saying they do not benefit the local people. The influx of Chinese nationals for developing the CPEC has caused conflicts with the Balochistan Liberation Army and other separatist groups which perceive China as a joint oppressor. The Balochistan Liberation Army has severely criticized China for ignoring its warnings not to enter into deals and agreements with Pakistan regarding Balochistan. They also accuse Beijing of exploiting their resources and land, and fear that the influx of Chinese investments and workers might further marginalize the Baloch people. A large number of Chinese are working in Gwadar, the port in the restive Balochistan province which is being linked to China’s Xinjiang province as part of the USD 65 billion CPEC.
Attacks by the militants from the BLA, and also from the Pakistan Taliban, targeting Chinese nationals had occurred earlier too but they increased sharply since 2018 after construction work on the CPEC projects picked up steam. Chinese nationals have been the victims of terror attacks more commonly in Pakistan than in any other country. In Nov 2018, the Chinese consulate in Karachi was attacked by the militants of BLA. Two police officers were killed in the attack. In 2020, the Balochistan Liberation Army also took responsibility for attacks on the Pakistan Stock Exchange, calling it an attack against “Chinese exploitative plans in Balochistan”. In July 2021, a bus carrying Chinese engineers was hit by another bus which was carrying explosives, killing 13 people, including 9 Chinese engineers. In August 2021, a suicide bomber from the BLA targeted a vehicle carrying Chinese nationals in Gwadar. Two children were killed. In April 2022, a female suicide bomber killed three Chinese teachers in Karachi. The BLA claimed to have carried this attack through its “first female suicide bomber.” In August 2023, a convoy of vehicles carrying Chinese engineers working on the Beijing-financed Gwadar Port in Pakistan was attacked by the militants of the Balochistan Liberation Army. The BLA has said it is conducting attacks to get Chinese-backed projects out of the province and to establish an independent Baloch government.
A large number of Balochi guerrilla fighters and civilians have been killed in the operations conducted by the Pakistan army. Thousands of Balochis have also disappeared after they were abducted by Pakistani security forces. The Voice for Baloch Missing Persons, a non-profit organization representing family members of those who disappeared in Balochistan, says approximately 7,000 cases have been registered with them since 2004. Another risk is whether the BLA attacks will spark Pakistani cross-border raids into Iran to target BLA positions. It may be recalled that on January 18, Pakistan conducted retaliatory missile attacks in Iran, asserting that it had targeted militants of the Balochistan Liberation Army and the Balochistan Liberation Front in the southeastern Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchistan. These strikes were perceived as a retaliation for the Iranian missile strikes in Pakistan which took place two days earlier. Iran asserted that it had targeted militants of the Baloch separatist group Jaish ul-Adl in the Pakistani province of Balochistan.
In his Independence Day speech in 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that Pakistan must be held accountable for the atrocities committed in Balochistan, and that India would continue to highlight the Balochistan problem. His remarks were met with angry reactions from Islamabad. The Pakistani government accused India of bankrolling the “Free Balochistan” advertisement campaign in Europe and the US. Pakistan also alleged that India is supporting the BLA. What Pakistani leaders fail to realize is that unnecessary finger pointing at India is not the answer, and that long term peace is not possible without meeting the legitimate aspirations and demands of the people of Balochistan.
(First published in Millennium Post : https://www. millenniumpost.in/opinion/echoes-of-rebellion-578512)
(The author is a retired Indian diplomat and had previously served as Consul General in New York)