New Delhi: A sharp escalation in violence is expected over the next few days in both Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), as multiple militant outfits recalibrate their strategies in response to the evolving security situation.
According to security sources, the Pakistan Army has brought together Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) under a coordinated arrangement to counter the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) in Balochistan and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Officials said the BLA, the TTP and several other militant outfits are also moving towards a coordinated front to counter the alliance put together by the Pakistan Army. While such a consolidation could pose a significant challenge for the military, officials said it is part of a broader strategy unfolding in the region.
The TTP, its faction Hafiz Gul Bahadur, Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) and the BLA have decided to fight together not only against Pakistan’s alliance, but even Chinese interests in the region.
An Intelligence Bureau official said that the idea of this new alliance is to take control over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Project (CPEC).
The Baloch people have for years protested this project, stating that it will not benefit the people of the region. They have accused the Pakistani establishment of looting the resources in Balochistan. The money that is raised through these resources is only reaching the big cities in Pakistan, the people have said.
The BLA in particular has fought against the establishment for long, and over a period of time, it has become Pakistan’s biggest nightmare. Officials say that the new alliance being formed aims at taking control of the resources in Balochistan as well as KP.
Another official said there are reports that the groups in Balochistan have begun demanding a share of project profits from Chinese investors in return for guaranteeing their safety. “The groups have also warned that Chinese firms should scale back their involvement in the region unless assurances are given that a portion of the profits will be used for the welfare and development of the Baloch people, the officials said.
The idea is to drive fear into the minds of the Chinese investors. China has repeatedly warned Pakistan to take control of the project and ensure the safety of its investments and nationals. Beijing had even offered to send its own military into Balochistan to guard the CPEC and its nationals. Islamabad had, however, requested China for time while telling Beijing that its military would not be necessary in the region.
“The emerging alliance has also agreed on a strategy aimed at stretching Pakistan’s security apparatus,” officials said.
Under the plan, any attacks in Balochistan and KP would be carried out simultaneously, forcing the security forces to respond on multiple fronts. Such coordinated strikes, officials said, are intended to strain the establishment’s resources and push the Pakistan military into a defensive posture.
Pakistan observers say that the formation of this new alliance would be too hard for an ISKP, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed grouping to beat. Multiple factors would work against this alliance as compared to the one led by the BLA and TTP. The top reason is local support, which both the BLA and TTP have in abundance. The BLA is not viewed as an enemy of the Balochistan people, but as a group fighting for the betterment of the region. Moreover, outfits such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba or Jaish-e-Mohammed will get no support, and they are known stooges of the Pakistani establishment.
To battle the BLA and TTP along with local support, intelligence gathering plays a key role. Moreover, these groups know the terrain well, and this gives them an upper hand logistically, an official said.
Officials say that the situation in these regions is going to get more chaotic in the coming days. The BLA and TTP, along with their allies, have declared an all-out war against Pakistan, its proxies, and more importantly, the Chinese investment in the region, the official also added.
