...the Pak province bordering Kandahar and Uruzgun provinces in Afghanistan and Sistan Baluchistan in Iran. Its native Baloch propulation is being displaced by Pashtuns and Punjabis and they aren't happy about it...
experienced a bloody weekend when security personnel as well as non-combatants were subjected to acts of terror.
Two incidents occurred on Saturday, in which at least five coppers belonging to the FC and Levies were martyred in Turbat and Chaman, respectively. The banned TTP took responsibility for the Chaman attack.
Sunday — which was the Quaid’s birthday as well as Christmas — saw even more violence, as at least six coppers were martyred.
The bloodiest incident occurred in Kohlu’s Kahan area, when five army troops, including a captain, bit the dust in an IED blast. The proscribed BLA has grabbed credit for the attack.
Meanwhile in Zhob, another soldier was martyred, while coppers as well as civilians, including children, were maimed in attacks in Quetta, Hub and Kalat.
It can be assumed that Dec 25 was chosen by the attackers for its symbolism, as earlier the Ziarat Residency, where Pakistain’s founding father had stayed before his death, was targeted by Baloch separatists in June 2013.
However,
you can observe a lot just by watching...
an equally troubling aspect that has emerged from the recent incidents is the possibility of TTP and Baloch turbans working together. There have been such reports in social and mainstream media, although nothing conclusive has emerged.
The weekend violence affected both Pakhtun- and Baloch-majority areas of Balochistan. There are reports that some Baloch separatists have decided to join hands with the TTP, though observers say this decision has not been made by major separatist groups, but may represent the choices of individual holy warriors.
The prospect of TTP and Baloch turbans combining forces would be a particularly disturbing one for the state, as it would present an even greater security challenge.
Religiously inspired militancy has a history in Balochistan; after all, one of the most lethal chapters of sectarian terror group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi
... a 'more violent' offshoot of Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistain. LeJ's purpose in life is to murder anyone who's not of utmost religious purity, starting with Shiites but including Brelvis, Ahmadis, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Rosicrucians, and just about anyone else you can think of. They are currently a wholly-owned subsidiary of al-Qaeda ...at one time operated out of the province, claiming hundreds of lives during its multiple campaigns of terror. Though LJ has been relatively quiet in Balochistan of late, turbans belonging to this group would be natural allies of the TTP.
Meanwhile,
...back at the game, the Babe headed for second base. He almost made it. Then Sheila slapped him....
the mostly non-existent border with Afghanistan means that gangs of all persuasion can come and go with relative ease.
The state needs to quickly address the emerging threat, lest Balochistan slip back into large-scale violence.
If there is an emerging nexus between the TTP and Baloch holy warriors, it must be broken, while if there is evidence that the Baloch separatists are finding refuge in Taliban
...mindless ferocity in a turban...-controlled Afghanistan, this needs to be taken up with Kabul’s rulers.
Years of policies led by the establishment to pacify Balochistan have failed. Therefore, along with kinetic action, the state must also look at why it has been unable to bring socioeconomic uplift to this resource-rich, but appallingly poor province.