Balochistan: Home to Foreign Monopolies

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.

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.

Posted in: