Opening fire on protesters in Quetta, martyring young children and teenagers, and arresting dozens of political activists reflect Pakistan’s true policies in Balochistan. As always, state institutions have adopted the same approach that follows every major act of war. Pakistan, adhering to the concept of a hard state, has never treated Balochistan with leniency. Throughout history, the policy of suppressing national voices through oppression has remained intact.
Pakistan’s Army Chief, Asim Munir, has declared the country’s transformation into a hard state. However, the state’s attitude towards the Baloch nation has never been soft. Arresting and imprisoning political workers under the pretext of negotiations with Agha Abdul Karim, banning the National Awami Party, and imprisoning Baloch and Pashtun leadership in the Hyderabad Conspiracy Case—these incidents, along with the enforced disappearances and custodial killings of leaders of the Baloch National Movement (BNM) and Baloch Students Organization (BSO), are all part of the continuous state repression aimed at crushing political resistance. These actions are deeply embedded in Pakistan’s historical policies.
The special confidants of the ruling establishment in Balochistan, such as the controversial Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti and figures like Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar, who represent artificial political forces, are worsening the already dire situation. Their survival in power is directly linked to ongoing conflict and violence.
The state’s policy of dealing with the Baloch issue through the military and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of the police has left Quetta drenched in blood. The martyrdom of Baloch children and the arrests of women, including Mahrang, are equivalent to pouring fuel on the fire already burning in Balochistan. The detention of Mahrang, Bebo, Bebarg Baloch, and dozens of other political activists will not halt the resistance movement but rather expand its reach.
In every street and alley of Balochistan, the flag of resistance is being raised. Martyrdoms and arrests are further intensifying the struggle. The state’s policy of suppressing the Baloch movement through force has never succeeded in the past, nor does it show any signs of success now. Instead, these acts of oppression are strengthening the Baloch resistance, making it more resilient and determined.