How pakistani army damaging Balochistan
How the Pakistani Army is Damaging Balochistan: An In-Depth Analysis
1. Introduction
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by area, is rich in natural resources including gas, coal, copper, and gold. Despite its resource wealth, it remains the most underdeveloped region in Pakistan. Over the decades, a persistent conflict has festered between Baloch nationalist movements and the state of Pakistan, particularly the powerful military establishment. The Pakistani Army, which plays a dominant role in the country's political and security affairs, has been frequently accused of human rights abuses, enforced disappearances, economic exploitation, and suppression of ethnic identity in Balochistan.
This report provides a comprehensive examination of how the Pakistani Army is damaging Balochistan across multiple dimensions.
---
2. Historical Background of Baloch Grievances
2.1 Accession to Pakistan
The roots of the Baloch conflict lie in the controversial accession of Kalat (the princely state comprising much of Balochistan) to Pakistan in 1948. Baloch nationalists argue that this annexation was forced and illegal. The first Baloch insurgency erupted immediately after the annexation, and subsequent uprisings have followed in 1958, 1962, 1973, and the most prolonged one since 2004.
2.2 Militarization from the Beginning
The Pakistan Army has always responded to Baloch demands with militarization and force rather than dialogue. The military’s approach has been to treat any nationalist sentiment as a threat to national integrity, leading to repeated crackdowns.
---
3. Human Rights Abuses by the Pakistani Army
3.1 Enforced Disappearances
One of the most serious accusations against the Pakistani military is the large number of enforced disappearances in Balochistan.
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have documented hundreds of cases where students, teachers, activists, and journalists were abducted by intelligence agencies.
The victims are often tortured and held without trial.
Mass graves have been found in Khuzdar and other areas, believed to contain the bodies of missing persons.
3.2 Kill and Dump Policy
This policy involves the abduction of Baloch nationalists and their mutilated bodies being dumped in remote areas. This brutal tactic instills fear in the local population and suppresses dissent.
3.3 Extrajudicial Killings
There are widespread reports of extrajudicial killings carried out during military operations in rural areas, especially in Dera Bugti, Kech, Panjgur, and Gwadar.
3.4 Torture and Intimidation
People taken into custody are frequently subjected to inhumane treatment.
Families of missing persons face harassment.
Women protesting for their missing relatives are threatened or arrested.
---
4. Suppression of Political and Civil Rights
4.1 Crackdown on Nationalist Movements
Baloch nationalist parties, like the Baloch National Movement (BNM) and Baloch Students Organization (BSO), face routine bans.
Activists face arrest or disappearances.
Political expression that promotes Baloch rights is labeled “anti-state” or “terrorist.”
4.2 Media Censorship
The military censors media coverage of Balochistan.
Independent journalists are not allowed to enter conflict zones.
Baloch journalists are routinely harassed, abducted, or killed.
4.3 Militarization of Education
Universities and colleges are under strict surveillance.
Baloch students face racial profiling and arrests.
Educational institutions have military units deployed to monitor student activities.
---
5. Economic Exploitation
5.1 Resource Extraction without Benefit
Balochistan is rich in natural resources, yet its people remain among the poorest in Pakistan.
Gas from Sui has powered homes and industries in Punjab and Sindh for decades, while Baloch towns remain without gas.
The Saindak copper-gold project and Reko Diq mining project benefit federal authorities and foreign corporations, not local people.
Gwadar Port is developed under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), yet the local population sees little benefit.
5.2 Marginalization in CPEC
CPEC is projected as a game-changer for Pakistan, but in Balochistan:
Locals are displaced without proper compensation.
Jobs go to outsiders, especially from Punjab.
Fishing communities in Gwadar have lost access to the sea due to fencing and security zones.
---
6. Demographic Manipulation and Colonization Fears
6.1 Settler Policies
There is fear among Baloch communities that the military is encouraging non-Baloch settlers to change the ethnic balance.
This is particularly visible in Gwadar and Quetta.
6.2 Military Land Acquisition
The army and paramilitary forces acquire large tracts of land for cantonments.
Locals are often evicted from ancestral lands.
Land-grabbing is carried out under the guise of “development.”
---
7. Military Dominance in Civil Affairs
7.1 Frontier Corps (FC) Rule
The Frontier Corps (FC), a paramilitary force controlled by the Pakistan Army, functions with impunity in Balochistan.
FC checkpoints are everywhere, controlling the movement of people.
FC personnel have been accused of harassment, illegal detentions, and torture.
7.2 Undermining Civil Governance
The military undermines elected provincial governments.
Real power in the province lies with military commanders, not civilians.
Local governments are prevented from making independent decisions.
---
8. Psychological Impact on Baloch Society
8.1 Culture of Fear
A constant military presence and threat of arrest create a climate of fear.
Families of victims live in trauma, and entire communities avoid political activism.
8.2 Loss of Identity
The suppression of the Baloch language and cultural institutions adds to alienation.
Baloch identity is portrayed as separatist and dangerous by state propaganda.
---
9. Impact on Women and Children
9.1 Targeting Female Activists
Women protesting for their missing relatives are harassed.
Prominent female activists have been arrested and disappeared.
9.2 Psychological Trauma for Children
Children grow up witnessing violence and disappearances.
Education is disrupted by military operations and school closures.
---
10. International Silence and the Role of Global Powers
10.1 Lack of International Pressure
Global human rights organizations have raised alarms, but major powers remain silent.
Strategic alliances with Pakistan (especially due to Afghanistan and China’s CPEC interests) deter Western countries from pressing human rights issues.
10.2 China’s Role in Military Expansion
Under CPEC, Chinese investments are guarded by Pakistani military units.
Gwadar has become a highly militarized zone, restricting local life.
---
11. Resistance Movements and Retaliation
11.1 Armed Baloch Groups
Groups like BLA (Baloch Liberation Army) and BLF (Baloch Liberation Front) have taken up arms.
The Pakistani military uses these movements to justify continued crackdowns.
11.2 Civil Resistance
Movements like the Baloch Long March demand justice for missing persons.
Students in major Pakistani universities are protesting discrimination and surveillance.
---
12. Environmental Damage from Military and Corporate Projects
12.1 Mining and Ecological Harm
Large-scale mining causes deforestation and water scarcity.
Locals are excluded from decisions on environmental impact.
12.2 Gwadar Water Crisis
Military projects have led to water shortages in Gwadar.
Locals have to rely on tankers or migrate to other areas.
---
13. Case Studies
13.1 Dera Bugti Operation
In 2006, Nawab Akbar Bugti was killed in a military operation.
The operation resulted in mass displacement and increased support for insurgents.
13.2 Mashkay Bombing
In 2012, Pakistan Army bombed civilian areas in Awaran District during Eid.
Dozens of civilians were killed, and villages were razed.
---
14. Attempts at Dialogue and Failure
14.1 Token Measures
The military occasionally announces development packages or amnesty programs.
These are often dismissed as superficial and meant for international image-building.
14.2 Lack of Trust
Baloch leaders demand international mediation due to lack of faith in Pakistani institutions.
The military’s overwhelming control over Balochistan hinders any meaningful political resolution.
---
15. Conclusion
Balochistan remains a region plagued by injustice, inequality, and repression, primarily due to the Pakistani Army's heavy-handed approach. Instead of addressing legitimate grievances, the army has chosen suppression over reconciliation. This has deepened the sense of alienation among Baloch people and escalated the conflict.
Unless there is a serious shift in policy — including demilitarization, genuine autonomy, resource control for locals, and accountability for human rights violations — the cycle of violence and repression will continue.
Balochistan’s peace and prosperity cannot be achieved through the barrel of a gun. It requires empathy, justice, and the courage to confront past mistakes. Only then can Pakistan hope to build a cohesive and inclusive national identity that respects the rights and dignity of its most marginalized region.
Comments