Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province by area and holds significant strategic and economic importance for the country. Balochistan has a long coast on the Arabian Sea, which includes the port city of Gwadar. This port is a crucial link in China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative and is being developed as a major trade and transit hub. Balochistan is rich in natural resources, including natural gas, oil, coal, and minerals. These resources are essential for the country’s energy and industrial development. Balochistan is a key security concern for Pakistan, as it borders Afghanistan and Iran and has a long-standing insurgency by separatist groups. The stability and security of Balochistan are crucial for maintaining peace and stability in Pakistan and the region. Balochistan is an important region for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as it serves as a critical link between Pakistan and China. The province of Balochistan is home to the port city of Gwadar, which is the focal point of the CPEC project. The port is being developed by China as a strategic hub for trade and energy transportation, connecting the western regions of China with the rest of the world. The province of Balochistan is also rich in natural resources, including minerals and gas, which are important for the growth and development of Pakistan’s economy.
The development of infrastructure and energy projects in Balochistan through CPEC will not only benefit the local population but also provide a boost to the entire region’s economy. So the state is trying its best to make this development possible as soon as it can. For this purpose, the state has been taking extraordinary measures, especially taking into view the security landscape of Balochistan and its threat matrix. Balochistan is having a segment of dissidents who are not aligned with the state of Pakistan’s narrative and its efforts to bring prosperity to Balochistan through foreign investments. In recent months the Baloch dissidents had started continuous attacks on security personnel to which the Pakistan government responded with a well-webbed strategy.
The National Security Committee meeting was conducted at the Prime Minister’s residence on April 7, 2023, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. Important cabinet ministers attended this conference, including the chiefs of staff of the armed forces’ three tri-services and the interior and finance ministers. The meeting’s major topics remained the continuous rise in terrorist activity worldwide, the nation’s general security condition, and the requirement for an effective reaction to stop these actions. The meeting resolved to undertake a full-scale operation involving the entire country and the government, which will rid the nation of the threat of terrorism with renewed vigor and commitment, according to a statement from the security committee. We have seen the coordinated response after the National Security Committee meeting, from the whole law enforcement community.
Balochistan and its people have been victims of hostile agencies and foreign state-sponsored dissidents. These dissidents have long been a hurdle in the development and progress of Balochistan and its youth. The main objective of foreign elements is to create instability in Balochistan and generate grievances in youth for the state. These foreign elements have been thriving in their business in the name of Baloch nationalism. Baloch youth should raise their voices against these nationalist organizations’ leaders that how they operate their businesses, how they meet their expenses, and where they get their money from given that the majority of Baloch terrorist leaders reside abroad and have opulent lives there.
The state is not the adversary of dissidents (Baloch sub-nationalists). The state of Pakistan is constantly working to engage youth and people by launching positive initiatives. The state of Pakistan has been countering the foreign narrative on both ends by tackling the dissidents and exposing them in front of the world and also providing youth with opportunities. Recently Balochistan government and Google in collaboration launched an internship program for Baloch youth. This is a positive step to engage youth in positive activities and develop their skills in the software field. While on the other government of Pakistan has exposed foreign elements’ role in disturbing the peace of Pakistan by bringing recently captured Baloch dissident force BNA commander Gulzar Imam in front of the world in which he confessed the foreign hands are spoiling the peace of Pakistan, especially Balochistan. These steps are highlighting the states’ will to pave the way for the development of Balochistan.