Pakistan: Over 100 Killed in Militant Attacks in Baluchistan
The Facts
More than 100 people, including soldiers and militants, were reportedly killed in multiple terrorist attacks in Pakistan's southwest Baluchistan province on Monday.
In the Musakhel district, gunmen stopped vehicles, checked the identities of the passengers, and singled out and fatally shot at least 22 individuals, reportedly from Punjab, before setting at least 35 vehicles alight. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for the killings, while 12 militants were reportedly killed in the counter operation.
The Spin
The BLA only targeted military personnel traveling in civilian clothes in Musakhel and killed only soldiers elsewhere. The group is fighting for the rights of the Baloch people and wants to end the province's exploitation. Its fight will continue against the Pakistani government and military until the decades-old injustice, including enforced disappearances, is avenged and a Greater Baluchistan is established.
The BLA is a terror outfit that chose to mark Baloch separatist leader Akbar Bugti's death anniversary with an unprecedented vicious, cowardly act on innocent citizens. It's clear that the group wants to create instability and anarchy in Pakistan in sharp contrast to its said claim to uplift the Baloch people. However, the militants must find a different way to express their dissent or face elimination.
Pakistan is the leading perpetrator of terrorism as well as its primary victim. It created, fostered, and armed terror outfits to destabilize its neighbors, including India. However, in supporting terrorism, it faced unintended consequences and now bears the brunt of terrorism. Until Pakistan fundamentally alters its behavior and stops harboring terrorists, hundreds of innocent lives will continue to be lost.
