Pakistani forces have been seen advancing in multiple areas of Balochistan as the Pakistani government announced the major military operation Azm-e-Istehkam countrywide.
According to eyewitnesses, the Pakistan Army, in connivance with state-backed militias (locally known as death squads), has reportedly increased its presence in Harboi, Gazg, and adjoining areas of Kalat district.
It is pertinent to mention that military operations have been ongoing in the area for the past several days, and additional forces in the area could further escalate the situation.
In another development, a large supply to the Pakistan Army has been witnessed reaching military installations in Mastung district of Balochistan.
In June this year, the Pakistan government approved a new military operation aimed at stamping out militancy and tackling a surge in armed violence. Notably, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US, Masood Khan, during a conference at the Wilson Centre in Washington DC, also urged the US to supply arms to Pakistan to ensure the success of the newly announced country-wide operation Azm-e-Istehkam .
Pakistan Army’s “Operation Azm-e-Istehkam” appears to be less about Pakistan’s national security and more about securing Chinese investments and access to resources. Baloch and Pashtun circles have resisted the recent government announcements, expressing serious concerns as, in the past, Pakistani army’s military operations in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have resulted in mass killings, enforced disappearances, mass destruction, and the relocation of entire populations.
Khalil Baloch, former chairman of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), has termed “Azm-e-Istehkam” as ongoing military “brutality” in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, aimed at completing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and appeasing China. Mr. Baloch further stated that the Pakistani establishment should understand that despite decades of military operations, the resolve of the Baloch people remains unwavering. “China and other world powers should recognize that no project on Baloch soil can be successful without the consent and will of the Baloch people,” he added .