Opinion | Conflict in Balochistan

A Reflection of Pakistan’s Internal Strife and Manufactured Conflict: The proactive engagement of the international community is essential to safeguarding human rights, promoting peace, and ensuring justice for the people of Balochistan.

Balochistan is a vast area under Pakistani occupation. This territory has long been marked by conflict, unrest, and human rights abuses. These issues have been exacerbated by Pakistan through internal divisions, many of which are widely believed to have been deliberately provoked by the Pakistani state to maintain control and suppress demands for autonomy or independence.

The Pakistan Army, as a central institution, has played a significant role in shaping the dynamics of conflict in Balochistan. Accused of human rights violations, including enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and torture, the army’s actions have drawn international condemnation. However, beyond these abuses lies a strategic approach by Pakistan to fragment Baloch society by instigating and manipulating different groups and factions within the province. This tactic of divide and rule serves to weaken unified resistance and maintain military and political dominance.

There are huge provocation and manipulation of Groups, Balochistan’s population is ethnically and tribally diverse, comprising Balochs, Pashtuns, Hazaras, Brahuis, and others. The region also hosts various religious and sectarian groups. Pakistan has exploited these divisions by supporting proxy groups, militant outfits, and sectarian factions that serve its objectives.

One such strategy involves fostering sectarian violence, particularly targeting the Shia Hazara community, which has suffered repeated attacks from Sunni extremist groups allegedly backed by elements within Pakistan’s security apparatus. This sectarian strife diverts attention from the core political and economic grievances of Baloch nationalists and fragments communal solidarity.

Moreover, Pakistan has been accused of backing armed militias and insurgent factions that oppose mainstream Baloch nationalist groups, thereby creating infighting among Baloch factions. By promoting these splinter groups, the state aims to present the conflict as a law-and-order issue rather than an expression of legitimate political dissent.

Baloch nationalist and separatist groups include organizations like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Baloch Republican Army (BRA), and other factions fighting for independence or greater autonomy. They accuse the Pakistani state of exploitation, resource theft, and political repression. These groups are alleged to have been created by the Pakistani army.

Pakistan allegedly supports local militias such as the Balochistan Levies and other paramilitary groups that counter nationalist insurgents. These militias often have strong tribal loyalties and have been accused of human rights abuses. Additionally, sectarian militants, including Sunni extremist groups like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, have carried out brutal attacks targeting the Shia Hazara community, contributing significantly to sectarian violence in the region. Pakistan’s state security agencies, particularly the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Frontier Corps, are heavily involved in counterinsurgency operations and face serious accusations of orchestrating enforced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings.

Pakistan allegedly supports local militias such as the Balochistan Levies and other paramilitary groups that counter nationalist insurgents. These militias often have strong tribal loyalties and have been accused of human rights abuses. Additionally, sectarian militants, including Sunni extremist groups like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, have carried out brutal attacks targeting the Shia Hazara community, contributing significantly to sectarian violence in the region.

The deliberate fomenting of divisions and violent conflict in Balochistan has resulted in severe consequences. Thousands of civilians have been subjected to enforced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings, with women, children, journalists, and activists remaining particularly vulnerable. The provocation of ethnic and sectarian violence has deeply undermined social cohesion, leading to cycles of revenge attacks and widespread mistrust. Persistent conflict and instability have also deterred investment and development, perpetuating poverty and economic underdevelopment in this resource-rich province. Moreover, the ongoing instability in Balochistan has regional implications, affecting neighboring areas and contributing to broader insecurity in the region.

The situation in Balochistan demands urgent and principled international attention. The United Nations and international human rights organizations must recognize the gravity of human rights violations in the region and conduct independent investigations into enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and torture. The international community should hold Pakistan accountable to its obligations under international law, including conventions against forced disappearances and torture, using diplomatic pressure and conditional aid as incentives for reform. Encouraging dialogue between Pakistan and Baloch representatives could pave the way for peaceful political solutions that address demands for autonomy, resource sharing, and cultural rights. Silence or inaction only emboldens perpetrators, so world leaders must condemn state-sponsored violence and support victims’ rights to justice.

Additionally, neighboring countries, particularly India, have a moral responsibility to advocate for human rights and support peaceful resolutions without exacerbating tensions. Balochistan’s turmoil is not merely a byproduct of internal dissent but a complex, state-fueled conflict with profound human and geopolitical consequences. The proactive engagement of the international community is essential to safeguarding human rights, promoting peace, and ensuring justice for the people of Balochistan.

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