New Delhi, Feb 3 (IANS) Pakistan is paying a heavy price as violence rages on in Balochistan. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has unleashed havoc on the Pakistan security forces in the last 48 hours during which heavy casualties have been reported.
Balochistan is important for Pakistan where its economy is concerned. While the Chinese have invested heavily in the region, the West is eyeing rare minerals, gold and copper.
Officials say that the ongoing violence in Pakistan is a result of complete Intelligence failure. This is because there is no accountability among the ranks.
Officers on the ground do not report issues intentionally because the top brass is a corrupt lot. This has led to dejection and many within the Intelligence circles feel that the top leadership must fail.
The operation by the BLA was not an overnight one. There was a lot of planning that went into this and attacks that were carried out were not just coordinated, but sophisticated as well, officials say.
The BLA deployed sophisticated weaponry and also used suicide bombers for the strikes on the security forces. The very fact that the Intelligence agencies missed this or intentionally did not report this makes it clear that there are cracks that have developed.
Another official said that many officers holding lower positions are disgruntled with the system.
In Pakistan, while it was always a norm that the top rung would reap all the benefits, it has become even worse under army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir.
There are a lot of officials who want a truce with the people of Balochistan. However, the top ranking officials of both the ISI and army are not for it. This is mainly because they have got used to looting the people of Balochistan for many years.
This remains the primary problem for the Baloch people who have very often accused the Pakistan establishment of taking away their resources and not passing on the benefits to them.
An Intelligence Bureau official said that if the top brass in Pakistan want to solve the problem they can easily do so. However it is the top brass that is not allowing any sort of truce in the region.
Pakistan watchers say that for long the Pakistan establishment has got away with the loot that they have indulged in. However, the situation today is different as there are external interests involved.
The minerals deal with the US is under threat owing to the violence. The US has made it clear to Pakistan that it wants peace in the region.
On the other hand, China has suspended temporarily all on-ground operations in Pakistan’s port city of Gwadar. It has also withdrawn its personnel following a coordinated attack in Gwadar and parts of Balochistan.
The Chinese had recently warned Pakistan after groups such as the BLA and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had directed attacks on their nationals.
China has been seeking security guarantees from Pakistan and even said that they would send their own agencies if Islamabad is unable to contain the situation.
Pakistan however assured China that it would prevail upon the BLA and TTP. However this has clearly not happened and the recent attack is proof of the same.
Officials say that both the US and China are assessing the situation at the moment. Their projects may not be cancelled, but Pakistan does have a lot of answering to do.
The experts say that unless and until the top officials within the Pakistan army and ISI climb down and put a stop to immense corruption, the lower ranking officials will not fall in line.
Many within the lower rung want the institutions to fail and hence are intentionally failing to provide the much-needed Intelligence in Balochistan, the official added.
–IANS
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