Sudhir Singh
Yesterday (11 March, 2025) a Peshawar bound train which runs from Quetta (capital of Balochistan) to Peshawar was highjacked by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) in Sibi district of Balochistan. It may be one of the rarest incidents when any liberation group has highjacked the entire train and roughly 450 people were detained by the BLA. BLA is an old organisation intended to liberate Balochistan from Pakistan. Baloch grievances are very old and it originated even before the partition of the Indian Sub-Continent in 1947. Balochs were willing to form their own state but M.A. Jinnah assured them equal treatment and assimilated them with Pakistan. After the bifurcation of Pakistan and creation of Bangladesh in 1972, Z.A Bhutto became maiden democratically elected prime minister of Pakistan. In 1973 his government dismissed elected government in Balochistan. This dismissal of the elected government propelled a wave of violence which had consumed almost 10,000 people including 3500 Pakistani security forces. When military dictator, General Zia-Ul-Haq captured power in July 1977, he negotiated peace with the Baloch’s. On 26th August 2006, military dictator, assassinated Akbar Bugti, former chief minister of the province. It tiggered fresh wave pf violence and till date it has been sustainable. In the meanwhile, China and Pakistan jointly launched China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which connected western Chinese turbulent province of Xiangjiang with the Gwador, western most tip of Pakistan, just few kilometres before Iran border. Gwador is strategically located at the tri-junction of the Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea. Gwador has become partially operational and could provide water access to the Chinese to sustain its energy supply from the Gulf. Due to Malacca Dilemma, in the case of conflict, Chinese energy supply could be prevented by the belligerent forces within hours. Chinese have spent over $ 62 billion dollar on this project till date. Baloch perceived CPEC as an imperialist project to further undermine them. BLA have killed over 100 Chinese people who were engaged in the construction of the CPEC.
Gwador was under the occupation of the Oman Sultanate. Oman offered its sell to India in 1958 but PM Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru rejected the offer and, in the meanwhile, Pakistani grabbed the opportunity.
The BLA, which seeks independence for Balochistan province bordering both Afghanistan and Iran, said it had killed 20 soldiers and shot down a drone in the evening of 11 March 2025. There was no confirmation of that from Pakistani authorities.
BLA is intended to achieve complete liberation of Balochistan from Pakistan. Pakistani military has killed over 20,000 Baloch since last two decades. Thousands are still missing. Balochistan constitute 43 percent territory of Pakistan but only has 4 percent of entire population of the country. It is surrounded by Iran and Afghanistan by two sides, from sea by another side and only one side share border with Pakistan. Baluchistan has enormous minerals and other natural resources but local people are entirely deprived from basic requirements. Only one example is apt here to mention. Balochistan produces almost entire gas of Pakistan and it has been supplied to other provinces since decades. But Baloch have not been given adequate access to its resources including gas.
Military and the democratic forces are on the same page to discriminate against the Baloch’s. This continual deprivation has tiggered dissent and Balochi’s are asking for entire liberation from Pakistan today. This incident of train high jacking has further highlighted the plight of the Baloch’s executed by the Pakistani state. It has also highlighted their case to wider global community. It has also underlined the perpetual human rights violation of the Baluch’s. This incident may further propel Balochi’s urge of liberation from Pakistan.
@ Dr Sudhir Singh is teaching Political Science at Dyal Singh College, University of Delhi and pursuing Pakistan affairs since last three decades. Email; sudheer162000@gmail.com
