Balochistan Can Damage China-Pakistan Relations

Pakistan is engulfed in socio-political conflict that is its own creation. The feudal class and military junta has always defined the political undercurrents in Pakistan. This led to the emergence of disgruntled sections in the Pakistani society within a few years of its creation due to partition of India in 1947. The Punjabi elite made it clear within a few months of its creation as to who will call the shots and capture the army and the landed estates. The refugees that crossed over to the newly created Islamic state with a hope that the religion will be the rallying point were mistaken as they were treated as second class citizens in a homeland they were sure to satisfy their political goals of exclusivity. They were termed as “mohajirs” in their own “homeland” for which they gave up the brotherhood of the “united India” as they sided with the partition. Not only that Sindhis too were never trusted in Pakistan and the undercurrents for separation have always been visible on the ground. After a few decades of the creation of Pakistan fissures were clearly visible in the socio-cultural landscape of Pakistan that once promised to work for the “ummah”. East Pakistan genocide of Bengalis by the Punjabi –Military cartel sums up the reality of the artificial entity called Pakistan that was formed after partitioning of India in 1947.Bengalis were subjected to genocidal attrition and were denied to form the government in spite of the peoples mandate.Mukti Bahini led the resistance against the Pakistani army dictatorship and it ultimately led to the disintegration of Pakistan in 1971 with the emergence of Pakistan. This made it clear that religion failed to keep the people of Pakistan together as linguistic and cultural differences defined the right to self –determination. It has been rightly said that the more the things change the more they remain the same.And it fits accurately as far as the genocide driven statecraft of Pakistan is concerned. Pakistan has has let loose the reign of genocidal attrition again on the people of Balochistan who are striving to seek independence from the tyranny of Pakistan.The movement for freedom and right to self-determination in Balochistan is infact as old as the creation of Pakistan itself.pakistan has failed to fulfil the aspirations of the Balochis.Now the the Jaffar Express hijacking has changed the geo-political scenario as the Balochis led by the Baloch Liberation Army(BLA) have adopted the proactive strategy to bring the Pakistani establishment down to its knees.It has succeeded to attract the international attention towards the atrocities being inflicted on its people and the exploitation of its natural resources. What has increased the animosity of Balochis against Pakistan is the surrendering of its mineral reserves and its lands to the Chinese.Both Chinese and Pakistanis are being seen as aggressors in Balochistan. Balochis have waged a war to safeguard their sovereignty and acts of sabotage against the Chinese and the Pakistani security agencies are being termed as resistance by the Baloch nationalists to save their homeland. This has now boomeranged upon Pakistan as Chinese are rattled and are concerned about the security of their personnel who are engaged on various projects on which they have invested after Pakistan leased the Baloch territories. Chinese concerns about the security has prompted Pakistan to deploy the Special Security Division (SSD),a force of nearly 15,000 personnel to protect the Chinese who are involved in China –Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC).But this has not satisfied the Chinese as the doubts and apprehensions about the security issues have eclipsed the relations. The Chinese have been apprehensive regarding the security preparedness of the Pakistanis from 2017 when they proposed establishment of joint security ventures with the private security firms to protect their personnel in the disputed area of Balochistan in Pakistan where the Baloch struggle for freedom is going on. But Pakistan had to reject this proposal as it was concerned about the issues of sovereignty. One thing is clear that Baloch freedom movement has entered a new phase and it is confronting the China-Pakistan nexus head on to restore its sovereignty at all costs. Baloch freedom fighters and the organisations like Baloch National Army(BLA) are challenging the complicity of China –Pakistan nexus. This has generated mistrust in the China-Pakistan alliance. This will have serious implications on the relations between Pakistan and its “all weather friend”.