Pakistan's Bloody Purge: The Balochistan Playbook
📰 THE STORY: Al-Monitor, via Reuters, reports that Pakistani forces killed 145 'militants' in Balochistan following coordinated attacks, framing it as a battle against insurgents in a resource-rich province bordering Iran and Afghanistan. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: Balochistan has a long history of secessionist movements, often fueled by its vast natural resources (gas,
copper, gold) and a perception of economic exploitation by the central Pakistani government. British imperialists carved up Balochi lands in the 19th century, setting the stage for future conflict. Moreover, the US has a track record of backing various proxies, including some elements of Baloch separatists, to destabilize regions bordering rivals like Iran, echoing the 1953 CIA coup in Iran over
oil. Double Standard: When 'militants' are killed in areas vital to Western strategic interests (like Balochistan, adjacent to Iran and China's Gwadar port), it's framed as security forces battling terrorism. When indigenous resistance fighters defend their land from resource extraction or foreign occupation in Western-backed regimes (say, Venezuelan resistance against US-backed coups), they are
often decried as 'thugs' or 'rebels' to be suppressed. The scale of 145 deaths in 40 hours would be met with outrage if it occurred in a Western-aligned nation's struggle, but here it's simply 'militants.' Follow the Money: Balochistan is key to China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), specifically the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which includes the strategically vital Gwadar Port.