July 29, 2024
By Rana Malhi
ISLAMABAD
The situation in Gwadar remains tense, with mobile phone, Internet, and landline services suspended, and roads blocked. This disruption follows a protest call by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) concerning missing persons. In clashes between the BYC supporters and security personnel on July 27, at least two individuals have been killed, several injured, and many arrested.
The BYC had organised a Baloch national gathering in Gwadar on July 28 to address issues such as enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, human rights violations, and the seizure of provincial resources in Balochistan.
This unrest is part of a broader history of rebellion in Balochistan. In 1973, the Balochistan Peoples Liberation Front led the largest armed rebellion, with support from Iran and Iraq. The Pakistani army’s extensive operation to suppress the insurgency resulted in thousands of Baloch deaths and widespread displacement.
Between 1980 and 1990, the Baloch resistance evolved with groups like the Baloch National Movement and the Balochistan Liberation Army engaging in armed struggle against the Pakistan state. These organisations continue to be active in Balochistan.
A new wave of resistance emerged after 2000, highlighted by a major armed uprising led by Nawab Akbar Bugti in 2006. Following Bugti’s death, the conflict intensified, with the Balochistan Liberation Front and Baloch Republican Army joining the movement.
Human rights organizations report thousands of disappearances as a result of rebellions in the province. The United Nations and other international bodies have expressed concerns about the human rights situation.
Balochistan’s strategic location and its rich natural resources have long attracted various powers. Historically, the Baloch people have valued their autonomy and resisted external control. Following the creation of Pakistan, the Khan of Kalat sought to remain independent but acceded to Pakistan under pressure in 1948. This accession was contested by some Baloch leaders and tribes, leading to the first significant insurgency in 1948. The rebellion was swiftly suppressed by the Pakistan military.
In 1958, the Pakistani government dissolved the One Unit policy, a scheme to integrate the four provinces of West Pakistan into a single unit. This decision led to another armed rebellion, led by Nawab Nauroz Khan, who opposed the centralisation and military presence in Balochistan. The insurgency was suppressed, and Khan and his followers were arrested and executed.
The most significant insurgency occurred in the 1970s during the government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Baloch nationalist parties, including the National Awami Party (NAP), demanded greater provincial autonomy. The dismissal of the NAP government in Balochistan and the arrest of its leaders in 1973 led to a full-scale insurgency. Thousands of Baloch guerrillas fought against the Pakistani military, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides. The conflict ended in 1977 after Bhutto’s government was overthrown by General Ziaul Haq.
Bhutto was strongly opposed to any separatist movements in Balochistan. He believed in a united Pakistan and took a hardline stance against insurgency and demands for greater autonomy. The military operation in Balochistan during Bhutto’s tenure, particularly between 1973-1977, was marked by heavy use of force. The operation led to significant casualties and displacement among the Baloch population.
Despite the use of force, Bhutto also sought political engagement with Baloch leaders. He attempted to bring them into the political mainstream by offering government positions and initiating dialogue to address their grievances. However, these efforts were often overshadowed by the ongoing military operations and the central government’s dominant role in Balochistan’s affairs – which left a legacy of mistrust and conflict.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Balochistan saw a period of relative calm, although underlying grievances remained unaddressed. The Afghan war and subsequent influx of Afghan refugees also impacted the region’s stability.
The early 2000s saw a resurgence of Baloch nationalist sentiments, driven by perceptions of economic exploitation, particularly concerning the region’s natural gas and mineral resources.
The assassination of Nawab Akbar Bugti in 2006 by the Pakistani military escalated tensions. Since then, various Baloch militant groups, such as the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and the Baloch Republican Army (BRA), have engaged in guerrilla warfare against Pakistani forces, targeting infrastructure, security personnel, and sometimes non-Baloch settlers.
The issue of missing persons in Balochistan has become a focal point of the conflict. These enforced disappearances are allegedly used as a tactic to suppress dissent and intimidate the population.
Families of the missing persons, often referred to as “disappeared”, have been at the forefront of the struggle for justice. They have organised protests, hunger strikes, and marches to draw attention to their plight. The Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) is a prominent organisation that advocates for the recovery of the disappeared. It maintains a list of missing persons and documents cases
of abductions and killings.
The issue of enforced disappearances in Balochistan has garnered international attention. Human rights organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly called on the Pakistani government to address the issue and hold those responsible accountable. Reports and documentaries by international media have highlighted the human rights abuses in the region, putting pressure on the Pakistani government to take action.
Despite this international pressure, the Pakistani government has often denied the allegations of enforced disappearances or downplayed their scale. Official statements typically attribute the disappearances to internal feuds among insurgent groups or other non-state actors. However, testimonies from survivors and families, along with evidence collected by human rights organizations, suggest a systematic pattern of state-sponsored abductions.