The Balochistan conflict is a guerrilla war waged by Baloch Nationalists against the Governments of Pakistan and Iran in the Balochistan Region, which covers Balochistan Province in southwestern Pakistan, Sistan and Baluchestan Province in southeastern Iran, and the Balochistan Region of southern Afghanistan
In Pakistan's Balochistan province, insurgencies by Baloch nationalists have been fought in 1948, 1958–59, 1962–63 and 1973–77 – with an ongoing and reportedly stronger, broader insurgency beginning in 2003
Balochistan is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. It is the largest province in the country, covering 44 percent of the total area. The population is 1.3 crore, which is merely 7 percent of the total population of the country. Most of the inhabitants are Baloch; other communities include Pashtuns and Brahuis.
The province is rich in natural resources like oil, gas, copper and gold; the economy is dominated by its natural gas fields. Its location is extremely strategic as the province shares borders with Punjab, Sindh, FATA, as well as Afghanistan and Iran. Gwadar Port in Balochistan is of immense importance to Pakistan.
In Pakistan's Balochistan province, insurgencies by Baloch nationalists have been fought in 1948, 1958–59, 1962–63 and 1973–77 – with an ongoing and reportedly stronger, broader insurgency beginning in 2003
Balochistan is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. It is the largest province in the country, covering 44 percent of the total area. The population is 1.3 crore, which is merely 7 percent of the total population of the country. Most of the inhabitants are Baloch; other communities include Pashtuns and Brahuis.
The province is rich in natural resources like oil, gas, copper and gold; the economy is dominated by its natural gas fields. Its location is extremely strategic as the province shares borders with Punjab, Sindh, FATA, as well as Afghanistan and Iran. Gwadar Port in Balochistan is of immense importance to Pakistan.
Balochistan means ‘the land of the Baloch’. The province was divided into four princely states, which were forcefully acceded to Pakistan.Despite being rich in natural resources, it is the most backward region
in Pakistan. Baloch people are ethnically, culturally and socially
different from the rest of Pakistan and feel exploited at the hands of
the dominant Punjabis.
The Balochistan Liberation Army is a Pakistan-designated terrorist organisation. It is the most widely-known Baloch separatist group. It has conducted several attacks on Pakistani security agencies and civilians. Baloch nationalists accuse Pakistan of systematically suppressing its development to keep the Balochs suppressed.
Pakistani security forces are accused of illegally detaining 19,000 men, women and children in Balochistan. Many of them have been raped and killed
India maintained for a long time that it would not interfere in the internal matters of other countries. Hence, it never brought up the Balochistan issue at any international platform, despite Pakistan repeatedly stoking the Kashmir issue.
Pakistan has been accusing India of running terrorist activities as well as helping Baloch nationalists. A week back, when a terrorist attack killed over 50 people in Quetta, Balochistan, the Pakistani Chief Minister blamed Research and Analysis Wing(RAW), the foreign intelligence agency of India. Pakistan could never produce any substantial proof against India.
In a departure from India’s earlier position and when the bilateral ties with Pakistan had hit a new low after Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif raised the Kashmir issue in his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Modi did what Pakistan couldn’t have even thought of. Without mentioning ‘Pakistan’, he simply thanked the people of Balochistan.
Pakistan is expectedly upset after India hit it where it hurts the most. Adviser to Pakistan PM on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz said that India was trying to divert global attention from the “tragedy in India-held Kashmir”. Pakistani journalists warned Baloch nationalists not to take India’s support.
Various Baloch nationalist organisations in Balochistan as well as those based in USA and Europe have welcomed PM Modi’s unexpected support.
Back home, while the BJP thinks PM Modi’s new move will put India in a better position while dealing with Pakistan, Congress accuses Modi of ‘ruining’ India’s case on Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) by raking up the Balochistan issue.
The Balochistan Liberation Army is a Pakistan-designated terrorist organisation. It is the most widely-known Baloch separatist group. It has conducted several attacks on Pakistani security agencies and civilians. Baloch nationalists accuse Pakistan of systematically suppressing its development to keep the Balochs suppressed.
Pakistani security forces are accused of illegally detaining 19,000 men, women and children in Balochistan. Many of them have been raped and killed
India maintained for a long time that it would not interfere in the internal matters of other countries. Hence, it never brought up the Balochistan issue at any international platform, despite Pakistan repeatedly stoking the Kashmir issue.
Pakistan has been accusing India of running terrorist activities as well as helping Baloch nationalists. A week back, when a terrorist attack killed over 50 people in Quetta, Balochistan, the Pakistani Chief Minister blamed Research and Analysis Wing(RAW), the foreign intelligence agency of India. Pakistan could never produce any substantial proof against India.
In a departure from India’s earlier position and when the bilateral ties with Pakistan had hit a new low after Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif raised the Kashmir issue in his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Modi did what Pakistan couldn’t have even thought of. Without mentioning ‘Pakistan’, he simply thanked the people of Balochistan.
Pakistan is expectedly upset after India hit it where it hurts the most. Adviser to Pakistan PM on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz said that India was trying to divert global attention from the “tragedy in India-held Kashmir”. Pakistani journalists warned Baloch nationalists not to take India’s support.
Various Baloch nationalist organisations in Balochistan as well as those based in USA and Europe have welcomed PM Modi’s unexpected support.
Back home, while the BJP thinks PM Modi’s new move will put India in a better position while dealing with Pakistan, Congress accuses Modi of ‘ruining’ India’s case on Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) by raking up the Balochistan issue.
No comments:
Post a Comment