Amidst a terror nexus
Balochistan is in the grip of terror rooted in geopolitical interventions. The daredevil onslaught on no less than a dozen cities and towns of the restive province this past weekend is a manifestation of desperation on the part of disgruntled elements that are out to destabilise Pakistan at the behest of their foreign masters. The attacks which led to the martyrdom of about 15 security personnel as well as 18 civilians were repulsed with full might, as 177 terrorists were exterminated in two days. The combing operation from the armed forces exhibited the resolve and the courage to take on the faceless and cowardly enemy by the horns, sending down the right signals that no so-called socio-political upheavals that are anti-state in essence will be tolerated.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) is behind this carnage and destruction. This large-scale coordinated plot enjoys support and substance from Fitna-al-Hindustan – the Indian proxies. This nexus has been instrumental for quite some time in the country's southern province, seeking to capitalise on the socio-economic deprivations that the locals harbour. The fact is that this militancy is foreign-sponsored and has its proven linkages with India and Afghanistan. The infiltration of disgruntled elements, including foreign nationals, and the volume of sophisticated hardware testify to the fact that it has grand regional designs to nurse, and the people of Balochistan are being merely used as fodder.
The mosaic of attacks on the weekend was a telling tale of terrorism as gunmen targeted both governmental and commercial entities, including banks. Security installations and personnel are already their prime targets. The intention was to instil fear among the masses, besides indulging in loot and plunder for monetary gains. Moreover, the way the BLA and its affiliates took to social media with well-choreographed visuals proves beyond doubt that it is not a handiwork of mere deprived men up in arms, but a campaign being run from outside.
The new phenomenon of uprising in Balochistan warrants some astute management. It is worrisome that educated youth are joining the terrorism bandwagon. Suicide bombers, including female attackers, are now part of the assault force. This inevitably pitches the security forces and the commoners in a booby-trap circuit, proving catastrophic to the core.
Balochistan is, thus, in need of a synchronised strategy that is to be a great mix of kinetic and political measures. The province, only in the first month of this year, has seen 242 militant casualties. Likewise, the outgoing year saw a rise in terror attacks to the tune of 43% with revulsions being reported in both Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. This is in addition to more than a thousand counterterrorism IBOs that have resulted in many more deaths.
It would be an understatement to say that Balochistan is simmering because of a sense of neglect. It is a mix of bad governance, highhandedness on the part of the authorities and the failure to take the locals on board in decision-making. The best way to defeat this militancy is to assemble on a single point agenda of listening to the locals and devising ways and means to alter the ground realities.