Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday said that Balochistan’s vast and difficult geography necessitates the deployment of military personnel on a large scale to maintain law and order and counter militancy in the province.
Speaking during a session of the National Assembly, Asif said efforts to restore peace in Balochistan had repeatedly been disrupted over the decades, although there were also long periods of stability during which development work was carried out.
He said that in the early years after Pakistan’s independence, unrest in the province carried a “so-called political and nationalistic color”, alongside certain grievances.
However, the defence minister argued that the nature of the conflict had changed over time. He alleged that elements backed by India were operating as proxies in Balochistan, while Afghan soil was being used to support terrorist activities. According to Asif, the leadership of terrorist groups was based in Afghanistan and received assistance from there.
Asif further claimed that the political aspect of the movement had been “hijacked” by criminal elements involved in smuggling, particularly oil smuggling, which he said was generating up to Rs4 billion daily.
He said criminals operating under the name of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) were providing protection to smugglers, resulting in a nexus between tribal elders, sections of the bureaucracy and separatist elements.
The defence minister said the government’s crackdown on smuggling led to strong protests, including a prolonged demonstration at the Chaman border.
He added that transit trade was being misused, with goods meant for Afghanistan re-entering Pakistan and being sold locally.
