After the great game in
Afghanistan, there is a deadly game going on in the barren and hostile hills of
Balochistan. Paradoxically, Balochistan liberation Army (BLA) is not the only
fish in the pond as there are many influential players like USA, India, Iran,
Russia and Afghanistan involved in this game as well. The conscious minds would
question; what is it that makes Balochistan so important for the major powers
of the region and the world. The answer is that Balochistan offers the shortest
distance between the Indian Ocean and the Central Asia, that is to say,
shortest distance outside of the Gulf. Americans are vying to have ingress in
Balochistan to discourage China from entering into more development projects in
Balochistan as by developing the port and roads in Balochistan, China is
ultimately helping it by creating a convenient conduit for commerce that would
connect China concurrently with Central Asia, South Asia, and all-weather
Balochistan ports.
Russia has its own policy goals and as far as the present phase of creating trouble in Balochistan is concerned, American and Russian goals are not in conflict with each other. It is therefore very clear that by keeping Balochistan red hot, Russia can hope to discourage Trans-Afghan pipeline or any other similar projects. For instance, India would go to great lengths to prevent Pakistan from developing a direct trade and transportation route with Central Asia because it would undermine the North-South corridor through Iran. Also, while the acute shortage of energy may have compelled India to extend limited cooperation to Pakistan, the preferable project from Indian point of view still remains the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline. Moreover, one cannot ignore the fact that India is preparing to use Afghanistan as its main artery to connect it with Central Asia and would not allow Pakistan to share this sphere if it can.
The foreign intervention into Balochistan dates back to 2002 when the first batch of "instructors" crossed over from Afghanistan into Pakistan to set-up the first training camp. The number of camps increased with time and now there is a big triangle of instability (one connecting Barkhan, Bibi Nani (Sibi) and Kashmore while other connecting Naushki, Wana (in NWFP) and Kashmore) in Balochistan that has some 45 to 55 training camps with each camp accommodating from 300 to 550 militants. A massive amount of cash is flowing into these camps. Pay structure of militants is fairly defined i.e. the ordinary recruits/ basic insurgents get around US $ 200 per month whereas the section leaders get upward of US $ 300. There are also special bonuses for executing a task successfully.
Russia has its own policy goals and as far as the present phase of creating trouble in Balochistan is concerned, American and Russian goals are not in conflict with each other. It is therefore very clear that by keeping Balochistan red hot, Russia can hope to discourage Trans-Afghan pipeline or any other similar projects. For instance, India would go to great lengths to prevent Pakistan from developing a direct trade and transportation route with Central Asia because it would undermine the North-South corridor through Iran. Also, while the acute shortage of energy may have compelled India to extend limited cooperation to Pakistan, the preferable project from Indian point of view still remains the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline. Moreover, one cannot ignore the fact that India is preparing to use Afghanistan as its main artery to connect it with Central Asia and would not allow Pakistan to share this sphere if it can.
The foreign intervention into Balochistan dates back to 2002 when the first batch of "instructors" crossed over from Afghanistan into Pakistan to set-up the first training camp. The number of camps increased with time and now there is a big triangle of instability (one connecting Barkhan, Bibi Nani (Sibi) and Kashmore while other connecting Naushki, Wana (in NWFP) and Kashmore) in Balochistan that has some 45 to 55 training camps with each camp accommodating from 300 to 550 militants. A massive amount of cash is flowing into these camps. Pay structure of militants is fairly defined i.e. the ordinary recruits/ basic insurgents get around US $ 200 per month whereas the section leaders get upward of US $ 300. There are also special bonuses for executing a task successfully.
American defence contractors or
Pentagon operatives, CIA foot soldiers, instigators in double-disguise, fortune
hunters, rehired ex-soldiers and free lancers are reportedly playing a big part
in shifting loads of money from Afghanistan to Balochistan. The Americans are
invariably accompanied by their Afghan guides and interpreters.
Ironically, Balochistan makes a
part of an arc-corridor of extensive subversive activities through connections
of little Afghan towns Shah Ismail and Ziarat Sultan Vais Qarni with Kuhak and
Jalq in Iran. The towns of Dalbandin and Naushki where foreign presence has
become a matter of routine are also located within this corridor.
Different entities are making
different uses of this corridor. Reportedly, Indian consulate in Zahidan, Iran,
has hired a house off Khayaban Danishgah, near Hotel Amin in Zahidan. This
house is used for accommodating some people who cross over from Afghanistan to
Pakistan and from Pakistan to Iran through earlier described arched corridor.
With no regular check post of Pasdaran on the Zahidan-Taftan road between Khash
and Jalq, it makes it easy for all kinds of elements to criss-cross the
borders. Moreover, about 90 kilometers from Kishangar (a small Indian town
barely five kilometers from Pakistan border) there is a logistics support depot
that serves as launching pad for the Indian supplies and experts and a training
centre that maintains contacts with militant training camps in Pakistan,
including Balochistan. This route is also handy for sabotaging the Pakistani
gas pipelines because the two main arteries of Sui pipe -
Sui-Kashmore-Uch-Multan and Sui-Sukkur - pass, at some points, less than 45
kilometers from the Indian border. These were unimportant stations in the past
but they have gained increasing importance since January 2002 when Balochistan
became the hub of a new wave of foreign activity. Whoever planned these camps and
the subsequent insurgency, had to obtain initial help in recruitment and
infrastructure from Indian RAW because it has several thousands of ground
contacts in Pakistan, many of them in Balochistan.
Furthermore, the border between
Afghanistan and Iran is mostly under the control of Pasdaran who come down hard
on any illegal border movement and that is why the arched corridor passing
through Pakistan is the favourite route for individuals and groups including
American 'defence contractors' and their Afghan collaborators who may have the
need to go across or near the border of Iran. Not surprisingly, part of this
corridor is used by Iranians themselves when they feel the need to stir some
excitement in Pakistan. Moreover, there is the eastern lip of Gwater Bay that
lies in the Iranian territory but affords easy crossover into Pakistan through
unguarded land border. This particular coastal connection provides free access
to elements in Dubai and Oman to connect with militants in Balochistan.
In view of these realities, the
involvement of foreign hands in worsening the law and order situation in
Balochistan is an open secret now. Owing to its geo-political and strategic
significance, Balochistan has become the arena of international intelligence
agencies i.e. CIA, RAW, RAAM, KGB, MI5 and Mossad. The tricky task of reviving
BLA by the US and Russia with the help of India is nothing but an extension of
foreign powers' nefarious agenda of using Balochistan issue and exacerbating
the existing contradictions between various ethnic groups in order to
destabilize Pakistan. Also it must be understood by the dissident elements in
Balochistan as well, that Balochistan does not belong to a handful Baloch youth
demanding independence like Harbiar Marri or Brahamdagh Bugti. Balochistan is
also the home of significant number of Pashtoon tribes and other settlers who
do not want Balochistan to be destabilized by a handful of cessionists.
