Afghanistan faced the first blow — and is still facing. Swat was the second fertile ground for militancy. Waziristan is bearing the brunt. Balochistan is the fourth. It may become a new war zone. No, it’ll not. Yes, it will. One, two, three, four…
People have got much opinion. But, a very few — have depicted the danger. The folks in Balochistan fear the peril. They might not. Yes, they might be. No, Yes. Because their land seems to be altering definitely into a full-fledge confrontation.
The previous month’s US airstrike that killed the Taliban leader Mullah Mansour has obviously — marked yet very troubled day for Balochistan. The people in Balochistan are very much incensed, not owing to, Mullah Mansour’s unconcealed death, but actually, by the turning of combat to Balochistan.
The attack was a bolt from the blue — which brusquely appeared in Balochistan is likely to signal a belligerent US policy posture against Taliban in Pakistan. However, there was an optimism of Afghan peace process, which is now dead due to the killing of Taliban’s leader. Because it now seems that the confidence has declined for almost a substantial period, until a trust deficit can build with new Afghan Taliban leader.
The ominous is looming particularly well inside Balochistan, because the US could no longer endure the duplicity of Pakistan at any cost. It is due to a durable reason that Pakistan’s Achilles’ heel is right now very much exposed before the US to hit the targets in Balochistan wherever she wants so far.
The US drone attack has utterly indicated that it was a preliminary step towards bringing the so-called war to Balochistan. A province where countless of Afghan refugees are stationed respectively since the Soviet occupation. Perhaps Kuchlak, Pashtunabad and Nawa killi are the concealing locations for Taliban’s stalwarts. Where the menace of conducting more US drone strikes are largely building the public opinions that more drones are inevitable to wipe out the top Taliban’s leadership in Balochistan.
Shezad Baloch, an independent journalist based in Quetta, said that “there will be a huge crisis taking place in Balochistan in the near future, and also suggests that many countries have their spies in Balochistan.”
However, it is really obnoxious that the boys had played a dirty politics of lapsing Taliban in foreign policy paradigm. Since 80s, the Taliban are fighting Pakistan’s proxy in Afghanistan. The boys had a vigorous connection and a tight control over their assets for a limited purpose, knowing-fully well.
Nevertheless, after the saga of 9/11, Pakistan had experienced a severe international pressure to quit Taliban’s patronage. But the force couldn’t have compelled explicitly the Pakistani state to withdraw her support. Instead of that the Taliban were/are being supported via the backdoor.
Balochistan is an already ostracized province since its birth. It had witnessed, a traumatic blow ranging from arms insurgency; state repression, sectarian terrorism, targeted killings and galloping Talibanisation. The US has already been pointed out that Pakistan has provided safe sanctuaries to Afghan Taliban, and their leadership is stationed in Quetta. The former Taliban Ameer Mullah Omar stayed furtively almost several years in Quetta — the provincial capital of Balochistan. And later he died on 23rd April 2013 in Pakistan. But his death info was revealed two years later in 2015.
The first ever US drone strike in Balochistan has triggered an intricate discussion about regional stability, sovereignty and the peace in Afghanistan on the one hand. While on the other hand, it has not only deteriorated Pak-US relations but acted aggressively towards dismantling the Taliban and their leadership in the region. It is therefore, hapless for Balochistan that the war is coming solely in its lap. Unfortunately, it will obliterate the atmosphere and will comparatively destroy Balochistan at all.
If this world power confrontation could enter Balochistan, as it entered FATA, it would further intensify the agonies of the hoi polloi of Balochistan. For instance, the war and terror and the US airstrikes could have smashed the infrastructure of FATA and KPK. It has overwhelmed the miseries of the people by killing their kith and kin. Around 432 US drone attacks have hitherto killed thousands of people, destroyed their homes and educational institutions, and finally obliged for displacement in their own region.
The atmosphere of native Balochistan is in great jeopardy. Because the plethora of US, belligerence towards disrupting and dismantling the Taliban is, at the moment, out of Pakistan’s control. So that’s why, Balochistan will face the US aggressiveness in the near future.
Meanwhile, next time the US, may hit a crowded town while killing the militants. The towns may be either Kuchlak or Pashtunabad, which are at the top of Pentagon’s list –these places are supposed to be the most favorable hideouts for Taliban. In that case, it may cause an immense mass fatalities in Balochistan. Nevertheless, people may be compelled to leave their homes and towns in search of survival at one point. While the counter argument is that, they may take up arms in vengeance of their kin.
This will definitely destroy the infrastructure, resulting in the killings of innocent civilians and ultimately producing more terrorists than eliminating Taliban. For example, if it kills ten innocents, it the then creates hundreds more. And the number of terrorists would certainly be increased if further drones appear.
There were a lot of claims about the presence of Afghan Taliban’s leadership in Balochistan. The US drone strike in Balochistan which ultimately resulted in the killing of Mullah Mansour was “evidence supporting that claim.” In the immediate future, Balochistan may face a devastated setback due to Taliban’s mysterious presence — and the US assertiveness to get rid of terrorists, well inside, Balochistan.
However, the first ever drone airstrike – but not the last – would create enormous challenges for Balochistan. It is an already marginalized and backward province, smashed by sectarian violence, military suppression, separatist movements and Taliban.
The US drone did not eliminate the world’s most dangerous terrorist, but exposed Pakistan’s vulnerability of hiding terrorists, and may open the door to a new battle ground in Balochistan.