Pakistan's Balochistan Crisis: Violence, Accountability and the Cross-Border Terror Legacy
In recent days, as violence has intensified across Pakistan's restive Balochistan province, a striking dissonance has emerged between the performative outrage of the country's de facto military rulers and the deep, structural security issues that continue to plague the nation. The escalating conflict highlights fundamental questions about governance, accountability, and Pakistan's historical approach to regional security.
Operation Herof and the Escalating Conflict
Late last week, the Balochistan Liberation Army, a militant separatist force, carried out coordinated attacks under what it has termed "Operation Herof" or "Black Storm" across the embattled province. These attacks resulted in significant casualties, with Pakistan's security forces reporting the killing of 31 civilians and 17 security personnel by militants, including suicide bombers. In response, Pakistani forces launched counterattacks, claiming to have eliminated an estimated 145 insurgents.
Rather than addressing the complex social, economic, and political issues that underpin these insurgencies—not only in Balochistan but also along the Durand Line—the Pakistani government has reflexively, and without presenting evidence, pointed fingers at India. This pattern of externalizing blame represents a recurring theme in Pakistan's approach to internal security challenges.
Balochistan's Strategic Importance and Historical Grievances
Balochistan holds significant strategic and economic importance for Pakistan. As the country's largest province in terms of geographical area, it is rich in mineral and natural resources. Several critical projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, for instance, are located within this region, making stability here crucial for both economic development and international partnerships.
However, since Pakistan's creation, the Baloch people have consistently been shortchanged in terms of development and have exercised minimal influence over how their resources are utilized. They have essentially functioned as victims within an extractive and undemocratic political ecosystem. The province's restive borders with Iran and Afghanistan further complicate the security landscape, making sustainable peace in Balochistan increasingly vital for Pakistan's overall stability.
The Military's Strategic Policy and Cross-Border Actors
The Pakistan Army has systematically nurtured violent non-state actors as a pillar of its strategic policy, frequently deploying them across the border in India. This approach has created what many analysts describe as Pakistan's "original sin"—the institutional support for cross-border terrorism that continues to haunt the nation's internal and external security dynamics.
Blaming Delhi for Pakistan's own governance failures might represent a knee-jerk reflex action for Islamabad and Rawalpindi, but this strategy will neither save lives nor help Pakistan maintain federal peace. External gestures, whether White House dinners or expressions of sycophancy toward international figures like Donald Trump, cannot substitute for meaningful internal reform.
The Path Forward: Confronting History and Building Accountability
Addressing the legitimate grievances of communities like the Baloch and Pashtun along the Afghan border requires far more than punitive military action. It demands a fundamental rethinking of Pakistan's governance structures and security policies. The critical question remains: Can a government that effectively reports to a self-appointed field marshal bridge the democratic deficit that fuels these insurgencies?
To genuinely address the insurgencies within its borders, Pakistan must first confront its historical support for cross-border terror. More importantly, the nation must cultivate a sustainable culture of political accountability where governance responds to citizen needs rather than military prerogatives. For Pakistan, these represent difficult but unavoidable challenges that will determine the country's stability for generations to come.
The violence in Balochistan serves as a stark reminder that security cannot be achieved through external blame or military force alone. It requires addressing root causes, building inclusive political systems, and abandoning policies that prioritize strategic adventurism over citizen welfare. Until Pakistan embraces this difficult truth, cycles of violence will likely continue to plague both Balochistan and the nation as a whole.
