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Baluchistan: The United States Silence
On Pakistan Army's Genocidal Operations
by Dr. Subhash Kapila
 Baluchistan is Pakistan’s
largest province and the richest in oil, natural gas and mineral
deposits. It comprises nearly half the size of Pakistan and bordering
the Arabian Sea provides virtually the entire coastline of Pakistan. Its
contiguity with Iran and Afghanistan enhances its geo-strategic
importance not only to Pakistan but also to the United States in
execution of its regional strategies in Afghanistan and against Iran. It
figures significantly in US Central Command strategic operational
planning.
Baluchistan, significantly, is the region in which Pakistan carried out
its nuclear weapons tests and there are good reasons to believe that a
major portion of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons are located here.
Baluchistan has been in the news ever since 1947 when Pakistan came into
existence as a theocratic state, ostensibly as a homeland for Indian
Muslims. Baluchistan refused to join Pakistan and demanded independence
and self-determination and held out till1948 when Pakistan Army with
tanks launched military operations to militarily annex it. Rather
strange, when Pakistan at the same time was claiming self- determination
for Kashmir. But not so surprising as under this garb it launched its
military operations in Kashmir but only to be thwarted by India to which
this princely state had legally acceded to.
Baluchistan never gave up its struggle for independence and has been
subjected to genocidal military operations by the Pakistan Army at least
four times until now. It never made the world headlines because Pakistan
traded the region’s strategic importance to American military strategies
and bought United States silence on its brutal suppression in
Baluchistan.
Baluchistan is now once again being subjected to genocidal military
operations by the Pakistan Army for the fifth time or so. The Pakistan
Army has been engaged in military operations in Baluchistan for the last
two years but these have intensified in December 2005 as a sequel to
Baluchi freedom fighters rocket attacks on General Musharraf’s meeting
in the Kohlu area which he was visiting. He had gone there to lay the
foundation stone of new Pakistan Army Cantonments in Baluchistan. The
Baluchis are against development of new cantonments in their region and
also the diversion of their oil and gas revenues from provincial
development to military projects. It is also a sequel to a recent rocket
attack on the helicopter ferrying a Pakistani General in the region. In
fact there is a virtual rebellion in Baluchistan against Pakistan.
Pakistan Army’s military operations against Baluchi tribal strongholds
now incorporate use of jet fighter aircraft, napalm bombing and
helicopter gun-ships in terms of Air Force operations. In terms of Army
operations nearly 36,000 troops supported by artillery and tanks are in
operation against the ill-equipped Baluchi tribesmen. Militarily,
counter-insurgency operations do not involve use of disproportionate and
indiscriminate firepower. It has raised a storm of protests in Pakistan
irrespective of provincial considerations and condemnation by Pakistan
Human Rights Commission, retired Generals and diplomats.
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Continued
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