Through yet another terrorist attack, terrorists of banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) killed 26 people and injured over eighty on November 9, 2024 at Quetta Railway Station. It was a well-planned and targeted ‘suicide’ attack as revealed by experts of bomb disposal. The main target of this terrorist attack was personnel of the security forces, proceeding to their home-towns and various duties through Jaffar Express. While claiming the responsibility, BLA representative said, ‘suicide bomber targeted troops present at the railway station’. This is a major terrorist attack in the centre of city at a key national installation (Pakistan Railways).
On October 11, 2024, the same banned terrorist outfit (BLA) killed 20 poor coal miners at Junaid Coal company mines in Dukki area of Balochistan just a few days before conduct of 23rd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Islamabad. The assailants of BLA used heavy weapons, rockets, grenades and small arms against unarmed miners. Earlier, terrorists of BLA killed two Chinese officials near outer gate of Karachi Airport while using vehicle-borne improvised explosive device on October 7, 2024.
It is worth mentioning that on August 26, 2024 BLA carried out a series of terrorist attacks in various parts of the Balochistan Province, killing 74 people which include civilians, police persons and personnel of armed forces, civilian lorry drivers, military installations and police parties. This was a tragic incident of terrorism, witnessed in the province in last many years. The outlawed BLA boldly accepted the responsibilities of these terrorist attacks. These attacks were carried out with a lot of meticulous planning and conducted in the cruellest manner. This speaks of the training of the banned BLA and similar other terrorist outfits in the Province. Whereas, Musakhel attack was much projected by media, since more than two dozen passengers were offloaded from the vehicles and brutally killed after identification parade besides setting ablaze over a dozen vehicles, the other incidents of killings were even worst in nature and conducted more heartlessly. These attacks were conducted on the day when Commander of the Ground Forces of the People’s Liberation Army of China General Li Qiaoming was visiting Pakistan and had a meeting with Army Chief at the GHQ.
Analyzing the pattern of sequential BLA terrorist attacks on Chinese nationals, security forces personnel, national installations and police, it is concluded that these attacks aims to: (a) sabotage the CPEC and Gwadar Port Project, which serve the purpose of anti-Pakistan regional and international forces rather Pakistan nationals (Baloch people), (b) it is a message to China to stop sending its nationals in Pakistan for any developmental project, especially CPEC and Gwadar, (c) it is initiating and igniting ethnic conflict in Pakistan, (d) promoting sub-nationalism in Pakistan, (e) alienating Pakistan through fear of militancy and terrorism and (f) targeting Chinese nationals in particular aims to create frustration of Beijing against Pakistan. CPEC and Operationalization of Gwadar Port will benefit the local population more than any other part of Pakistan. These two projects will boost economic activities in the province, giving a lot of job opportunities for the people of Balochistan.
Nevertheless, these projects are irritants for the anti-Pakistan and anti-Province forces which would never like to see economic progress in the country and the Province. This means that the BLA is being used against the interests of Pakistan and especially against the interest of the people of Balochistan. How can this terrorist outfit talk about the rights of the people of the Balochistan? This should be known to the people of Balochistan Province.
Since usage of resources of the province is being miscomprehended widely, therefore, the Government should assure to the people that resources of the Province belong to its people, thus, must be utilized for the socio-economic uplift of the province and its masses. The Reko-Diq project and other similar projects should play a significant role towards economic development including job creation for the local masses of the province. Marine resources should be utilized for the people of the coastal belt and the State should ensure that the rights of local fishermen are fully protected. There is a dire need to develop a feeling and sense of belonging and ownership among the people, especially the youth of the province over their resources and provincial government in a tangible form. Terrorists’ activities of banned terrorist outfits aimed to keep the people economically backward and nationally alienated. It is exploitation of the people of Balochistan in the name of sub-nationalism. Owing to pivotal location of Balochistan Province, some international and regional forces are using the geopolitics of the province as part of their power politics. During this power play of the rival international powers, BLA, TTP and many other terrorist organizations are used a proxies. These powers/forces provide all sorts of facilities and training to these banned outfits for their strategic objectives. These terrorist organizations will be abandoned and thrown away at an appropriate time by the users. At that time these terrorists will neither be acceptable to their operators nor to the state of Pakistan. It is logical for the Pakistani national terrorists to understand the dynamics of this usage by external forces against their own state before it is too late.
As a way forward the Government of Pakistan should devise strategies for the direct and indirect social engagement with the masses of the province through true narratives while addressing their socio-economic concerns and restoration of trust over the state. In this regard, a two-pronged strategy is suggested; a) a dedicated and sincere engagement and dialogue with local masses of the province by redressing their grievances, b) combating the terrorists who still opt to fight against the state. — The writer is Professor of Politics and IR at International Islamic University, Islamabad.
