Author: Jamal Baloch
Indian retired major Gaurav Arya’s recent statement that he is in touch with Baloch freedom fighters has triggered furious reactions from Pakistanis. The reactions, however, aren’t surprising.
Personally, I’m disappointed with his statement as his statement did nothing good for Balochs. It merely satisfied Indians and the longstanding animosity between the two countries by making Indians believe that India is attacking Pakistan through Balochistan. However, it is undeniable that, in the past 70 years, the Baloch struggle for freedom has been on the shoulders of the Baloch themselves, and they have handily prolonged their political and armed struggle with minimal resources.
On the contrary, the statement might just intensify the Pakistani atrocities in Balochistan as it has tried for so long to convince the Pakistani people and the world that the war in Balochistan is a proxy war of Indian backing to destabilise Pakistan. Thus, such a statement has further quashed Baloch nationalism and its pursuit of independence. Major Arya’s statement has enabled the Pakistani army to once again hoodwink its people into thinking that Baloch freedom fighters are Indian proxies. While Pakistan and the world know very well that neither Balochistan’s war of independence is a proxy war nor the Baloch fighters are Indian agents, it will continue to make its naive people think otherwise.
While Pakistan has never admitted when and how many Pakistani army personnel have been attacked and killed by Baloch insurgents, thanks to major Arya’s statement, it has now acknowledged that Pakistani army has been attacked by Baloch insurgents. Pakistan has now admitted that it has lost many of its military men in attacks by Baloch fighters. Although armies worldwide honour their military men who die in duty through burial and repatriation ceremonies, the Pakistani army doesn’t even announce who got the honour to ‘sacrifice their lives for the country’, and secretly, silently buries them.
Pakistan will now unquestionably exploit major Arya’s statement to propagate against Baloch insurgents and manipulate its people to believe that Baloch insurgency and its attacks on the Pakistani army have been carried out through support from the Indian army; while the reality is that the Baloch has been fighting and attacking Pakistani military personnel since the time Major Arya did not even know that a place in the name of ‘Balochistan’ existed.
Just two days ago, 5 attacks were carried out on the Pakistani military in Balochistan, and only one has been acknowledged by the army. Well, it’s a big deal that the army at least acknowledged one; previously, it was through the relatives and family members of the killed military men that the world got to know about such attacks.
Earlier, Pakistan feared that awareness regarding successful armed attacks on army men by Baloch insurgents would strike fear in the hearts of its people, which would, in turn, strengthen Baloch insurgency and Baloch insurgents’ faith in their abilities to defeat their enemy. Therefore, it made the Baloch and Pakistani people believe that Balochistan’s freedom war has only been catastrophic on the Baloch people themselves. It convinced its people that the war it’s fighting in Balochistan is to cleanse Pakistan from Indian proxies and ‘traitors’, and it did assure them that it has successfully defeated them; while the reality was different. It managed to mislead its people by demonstrating that no harm was caused to the army whatsoever. Now, such a statement from a veteran Indian major, has provided Pakistan the legitimacy to intensify its brutal operations in Balochistan and to free-handedly cease Balochistan’s freedom struggle.
Such a statement has somewhat freed Pakistan from accountability from its people and the international community. By the hateful reactions of Pakistani ruling class, media persons, including Hamid Mir, and Pakistan army, now the pre-existing bloody massacre of Baloch political activists, students, journalists, collective punishment and the scorched earth policy will meet its highest level. The Baloch suffering will now simply be immeasurable.
I do acknowledge and appreciate Major Gaurav Arya’s support in voicing for Balochistan through social media but If India genuinely believes in the Baloch cause and is willing to support it, it should do so by aiding its political struggle and promoting it on the international arena. Such statements, while amusing for Indians and satisfying its frustration against Pakistan, are earth-shattering for the poor Baloch and have nothing to offer for the Baloch except for more agony.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Balochistan Post or any of its editors.