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- January 24, 2024
- Kainat Shakeel
- 0
For many years, a protracted insurgency and militancy have plagued Balochistan, the largest and least developed province in Pakistan. Along with being rich in natural resources and an essential component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the region borders Afghanistan and Iran in a hazardous manner. However, India has been covertly equipping and funding terrorist and separatist groups in Balochistan, encouraging violence and instability there to threaten Pakistan’s security and stability.
Cross-border tensions and strikes between Pakistan and Iran have been sparked by proof of India’s involvement in the terrorism in Balochistan that has recently surfaced. It has been alleged by both nations that the other provides shelter to and support for terrorist organizations operating within its borders. According to Pakistan, it was aimed at the “hideouts” of two militant groups operating within Iran: the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). Iran alleges that it was targeting Jaish al-Adl, a militant group that is active against Iran.
The Chinese daily Global Times claims that there is “solid bits of evidence” demonstrating that India is supplying the terrorist groups with cash, equipment, and training. Sarfraz Ahmed Bungulzai, a commander of the BNA, a separatist terrorist group, who turned himself in to the Pakistani government in December 2023, is one of the sources mentioned by the journal. He said that separatist elements in the area have been financially supported by India, which has been covertly endorsing terrorist actions in Balochistan.
Another instance that demonstrated India’s endorsement of terrorism in Pakistan was the detention of Indian spy Kulbhushan Yadav in March 2016. It is alleged that he was apprehended while trying to enter Pakistan illegally from the border region. He acknowledged that he was engaged in subversive activities in Karachi and Balochistan while employed by the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), the intelligence organization of India.
Furthermore, it has been acknowledged in certain Indian media sources that India maintains ties with the BLA, a terrorist group that Pakistan proscribed in 2006. For example, in July 2019, The Hindu published a report claiming that BLA commanders had sought medical attention in Indian hospitals, frequently using false names or disguises. The paper also stated that in 2017, a BLA terrorist commander spent at least six months based in Delhi, where he underwent kidney-related medical treatment2. It also showed that many Indian political figures were close personal friends of Baloch chieftains.
Chinese analysts claim that India has a long history of supporting terrorism in Pakistan and that it consistently applies a double standard to acts of terrorism. The National Institute of International Strategy of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Ye Hailin, deputy director, told the Global Times that publications from think tanks and the Indian media give various accounts of the terrorist assaults that occurred in Balochistan and Kashmir. According to him, India is attempting to exert pressure on Pakistan on the Kashmir dispute a major point of contention between the two nuclear-armed neighbors by using Balochistan as a negotiating chip.
In addition to endangering Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, India’s covert backing for terrorism in Balochistan also jeopardises the peace and stability of the region. It is imperative that the world community recognises India’s evil intentions and holds it responsible for inciting unrest and violence in Balochistan and other areas.