Latest news with #Baloch
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Mystery of country's most expensive airport that has no planes or passengers
With no passengers and no planes, Pakistan's newest and most expensive airport is a bit of a mystery. Entirely financed by China to the tune of $240 million, it's anyone's guess when New Gwadar International Airport will open for business. Located in the coastal city of Gwadar and completed in October 2024, the airport is a stark contrast to the impoverished, restive southwestern Balochistan province around it. For the past decade, China has poured money into Balochistan and Gwadar as part of a multibillion dollar project that connects its western Xinjiang province with the Arabian Sea, called the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor or CPEC. Authorities have hailed it as transformational but there's scant evidence of change in Gwadar. The city isn't connected to the national grid — electricity comes from neighboring Iran or solar panels — and there isn't enough clean water. An airport with a 400,000 passenger capacity isn't a priority for the city's 90,000 people. 'This airport is not for Pakistan or Gwadar,' said Azeem Khalid, an international relations expert who specializes in Pakistan-China ties. 'It is for China, so they can have secure access for their citizens to Gwadar and Balochistan.' CPEC has catalyzed a decadeslong insurgency in resource-rich and strategically located Balochistan. Separatists, aggrieved by what they say is state exploitation at the expense of locals, are fighting for independence — targeting both Pakistani troops and Chinese workers in the province and elsewhere. Members of Pakistan's ethnic Baloch minority say they face discrimination by the government and are denied opportunities available elsewhere in the country, charges the government denies. Pakistan, keen to protect China's investments, has stepped up its military footprint in Gwadar to combat dissent. The city is a jumble of checkpoints, barbed wire, troops, barricades, and watchtowers. Roads close at any given time, several days a week, to permit the safe passage of Chinese workers and Pakistani VIPs. Intelligence officers monitor journalists visiting Gwadar. The city's fish market is deemed too sensitive for coverage. Many local residents are frazzled. 'Nobody used to ask where we are going, what we are doing, and what is your name,' said 76-year-old Gwadar native Khuda Bakhsh Hashim. 'We used to enjoy all-night picnics in the mountains or rural areas." 'We are asked to prove our identity, who we are, where we have come from,' he added. "We are residents. Those who ask should identify themselves as to who they are.' Hashim recalled memories, warm like the winter sunshine, of when Gwadar was part of Oman, not Pakistan, and was a stop for passenger ships heading to Mumbai. People didn't go to bed hungry and men found work easily, he said. There was always something to eat and no shortage of drinking water. But Gwadar's water has dried up because of drought and unchecked exploitation. So has the work. The government says CPEC has created some 2,000 local jobs but it's not clear whom they mean by 'local' — Baloch residents or Pakistanis from elsewhere in the country. Authorities did not elaborate. Gwadar is humble but charming, the food excellent and the locals chatty and welcoming with strangers. It gets busy during public holidays, especially the beaches. Still, there is a perception that it's dangerous or difficult to visit — only one commercial route operates out of Gwadar's domestic airport, three times a week to Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, located at the other end of Pakistan's Arabian Sea coastline. There are no direct flights to Balochistan's provincial capital of Quetta, hundreds of miles inland, or the national capital of Islamabad, even further north. A scenic coastal highway has few facilities. Since the Baloch insurgency first erupted five decades ago, thousands have gone missing in the province — anyone who speaks up against exploitation or oppression can be detained, suspected of connections with armed groups, the locals say. People are on edge; activists claim there are forced disappearances and torture, which the government denies. Hashim wants CPEC to succeed so that locals, especially young people, find jobs, hope and purpose. But that hasn't happened. 'When someone has something to eat, then why would he choose to go on the wrong path," he said. 'It is not a good thing to upset people.' Militant violence declined in Balochistan after a 2014 government counterinsurgency and plateaued toward the end of that decade, according to Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies. Attacks picked up after 2021 and have climbed steadily since. Militant groups, especially the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army, were emboldened by the Pakistani Taliban ending a ceasefire with the government in November 2022. Security concerns delayed the inauguration of the international airport. There were fears the area's mountains — and their proximity to the airport — could be the ideal launchpad for an attack. Instead, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang hosted a virtual ceremony. The inaugural flight was off limits to the media and public. Abdul Ghafoor Hoth, district president of the Balochistan Awami Party, said not a single resident of Gwadar was hired to work at the airport, "not even as a watchman.' 'Forget the other jobs, how many Baloch people are at this port that was built for CPEC,' he asked. In December, Hoth organized daily protests over living conditions in Gwadar. The protests stopped 47 days later, once authorities pledged to meet the locals' demands, including better access to electricity and water. No progress has been made on implementing those demands since then. Without local labor, goods or services, there can be no trickle-down benefit from CPEC, said international relations expert Khalid. As Chinese money came to Gwadar, so did a heavy-handed security apparatus that created barriers and deepened mistrust. 'The Pakistani government is not willing to give anything to the Baloch people, and the Baloch are not willing to take anything from the government,' said Khalid. Solve the daily Crossword
India.com
9 hours ago
- Business
- India.com
Rs 50100000 crore: Pakistan has become battleground of US and China, they are fighting for.., what is the hidden treasure in Balochistan
US- China Mineral Cold War in Balochistan: We all have witnessed the cold war that was seen between USSR and the United States of America in the 1980s. However, would you believe if we say that there is an ongoing cold war in Asia too. It is easy to see that Pakistan is fast becoming a geopolitical hotspot as global superpowers like the United States and China are trying to grab the resources of the countries and compete for influence. With China and US trying to intensify their presence on Pakistan, the financial near insolvent country now stands at the center of a new strategic rivalry rooted in resources. What's the Mineral Cold War in Balochistan? We all know that Pakistan has trillions of dollors of resources and at the heart of this potential resource power is Balochistan. Balochistan is a resource-rich but unstable province of Pakistan, believed to hold $6 (approximately Rs 50100000 crore in INR)–8 trillion worth of mineral reserves, including rare earth elements like dysprosium, terbium, and yttrium—vital for electronics, green energy, and defense. The global race for these minerals is being dubbed a 'mineral cold war'. China vs. US Interests: Cold war Readers should note that while the US remains cautious due to instability in Balochistan, China has made aggressive inroads through large investments, especially via the $62 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). However, these projects face strong opposition from Baloch rebels, who see them as exploitative. The escalating US-China rivalry over rare earth access has made Pakistan a key player, though mining remains highly risky due to regional unrest. Baloch Yakjehti Committee marks 13th day of Islamabad sit-in Meanwhile, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) announced in a post on X that today is the 13th day in a row of the peaceful sit-in protest occurring in Islamabad, organised by families of individuals who have been forcibly disappeared and detained BYC leaders. As per a report by ANI, the BYC highlighted that, despite intensified intimidation methods from officials, which include monitoring, blocking buses, and recording students, the families are resolute in their determination. (With inputs from agencies)
Hans India
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
15-year-old boy abducted in Pakistan's Balochistan as cycle of persecution continues
Quetta: A 15-year-old Baloch teenager was forcibly disappeared by Pakistani security forces from Kech district in Balochistan, amid an ongoing wave of enforced disappearances across the province, said a leading human rights organisation on Tuesday. Raising concerns, Paank, the Baloch National Movement's Human Rights Department, said that on July 24, 15-year-old Qamber Fida was abducted from his house in the Tump tehsil of Kech district in Meerabad. "His abduction without charge or due process is a clear violation of international human rights law and constitutes a crime under the definition of enforced disappearance," the rights body said. Paank strongly denounced the "ongoing crimes against humanity" in Balochistan, including "arbitrary detentions, disappearances, and repression of dissent". The human rights body called on the Pakistani authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Qamber Fida and ensure his safety, saying that "all enforced disappearances must end, and those responsible must be held accountable". "The rights to life, liberty, and security must be upheld without exception. Baloch lives matter, and the world must not stay silent," Paank asserted. Meanwhile, another human rights organisation, Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), on Tuesday, demanded an immediate end to the mental and physical torture of a political activist, Imran Baloch, by the Pakistani authorities in Gwadar Jail of the province. "Baloch political activist Imran Baloch was detained four months ago under the 'Maintenance of Public Order (3 MPO)' and transferred to Gwadani Jail, where he remains imprisoned. Imran Baloch is being deprived of basic human rights in jail. Not only are medical facilities not being provided to him, but Imran is also being subjected to severe mental and physical torture," said a statement issued by BYC. "He is under constant surveillance day and night, and he is kept confined in a single room for 24 hours, where basic necessities such as light, fresh air, and proper food are not available. Imran Baloch is not allowed to meet with his lawyers or family, and he is being kept completely uninformed about his health condition, which has put his life at serious risk," the statement added. The BYC appealed to human rights organisations to take notice of this "inhumane treatment" by Pakistani authorities and play their role in ensuring the "immediate and safe release of Imran Baloch".
Newsweek
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
How Israel Could Exploit Iran's Ethnic Division to Wage War From Within
Based on factual reporting, incorporates the expertise of the journalist and may offer interpretations and conclusions. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. With Iran still reeling from its 12-day war, Israel retains a hidden weapon in its arsenal against the Islamic Republic—disaffected minorities who also seek to overthrow the government. Analysts and former Israeli officials tell Newsweek that discussions toward endorsing such activities are gaining traction as tensions continue to simmer across the Middle East. Among them is Eran Lahav, a former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) intelligence analyst serving as senior researcher at the Israel Defense and Security Forum. He recently authored a report identifying ways in which Israel could apply greater pressure against Iran, including through fostering stronger partnerships with Iranian dissident groups based both within and outside the Islamic Republic. At a time when calls for popular uprisings by both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian opposition leaders have gone largely unrealized, the report finds that "hope alone is insufficient," and "only material assistance, including arms and logistics, can enable the opposition to act decisively." "We haven't finished the job yet. There are still things to do," Lahav told Newsweek. "I think we could push it more and threaten this regime more." "This could also help these groups within Iran," he said, "and I think Israel carefully should see strategically how she can act in the next few months." An image of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seen alongside a map of Iran as well as Kurdish and Baloch fighters in this Newsweek illustration. An image of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seen alongside a map of Iran as well as Kurdish and Baloch fighters in this Newsweek illustration. Newsweek Illustration/Canva/Getty Iran's Ethnic Fault Lines Iran is home to a diverse population of over 90 million people, around 61 percent of whom are estimated to be ethnic Persians. Some of the most sizable minority groups that make up the remainder include Azeris, Kurds, Baloch and Arabs (also known by their local demonym, Ahwazis or Ahvazis), all of which have histories of hosting separatist movements, though to varying degrees, ideologies and activities. By and large, Iranian minority communities live in peace, and many citizens of all backgrounds appeared to rally behind the government during and after the recent clashes. Still, activists among these communities frequently accuse the government of oppression, while others have taken up arms in the name of greater autonomy or even independence. The most active insurgent factions organized along ethnic lines today in Iran are rooted in Iran's northwest, part of the geo-cultural Kurdistan region that also comprises parts of Iraq, Syria and Turkey, and in the southeast, linked to the similarly cross-border Balochistan region that also encompasses parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Leaders among both stateless peoples intensified calls for opposing the Iranian government as Israel conducted an unprecedented series of strikes against the country over a dozen days last month. Lahav acknowledged that such groups had orchestrated some "minor actions" amid the war but said "it's not enough." "I think the more they see the regime is exposed and weakening, they could see there's a huge panic in the regime itself, and Israel and the U.S. can push there, and Israel can push with some aid and some support," Lahav said, "but it should be in certain channels." "Maybe this will be the next fall in the domino effect of this regime," he added. A member of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) delivers a speech as members celebrate Nowruz at the Jezhnikan Village around Baharka, Iraq, on March 18. A member of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) delivers a speech as members celebrate Nowruz at the Jezhnikan Village around Baharka, Iraq, on March 18. YOUNES MOHAMMAD/Middle East Images/AFP/Getty Images Reviving the Kurdish Front Of the ethnic armed movements in Iran, those led by the Kurds, which make up around 10 percent of the national population, have traditionally been the most organized. Kurdish factions also have a long history of taking advantage of conflicts, such as the Iran-Iraq War, to double down on anti-government activity, and have also faced harsh crackdowns. Today, the primary Kurdish dissident groups in Iran are the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI), the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) and the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan, which has splintered into several factions in recent years. While Iranian Kurds predominantly live in the provinces of West Azerbaijan, Kurdistan, Kermanshah, Ilam, Hamadan and Lorestan, many Kurdish armed groups operate in the neighboring territory of northern Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government. In May, as tensions mounted in the lead-up to the 12-day war between Iran and Israel, Newsweek spoke with Komala Secretary-General Abdulla Mohtadi, who reiterated that his group had renounced armed struggle, but would continue to seek to overthrow the Iranian government and bring about greater Kurdish autonomy through civil resistance. In this endeavor, Komala has formed an alliance with the PDKI, including throughout the "Women, Life, Freedom" protest movement that erupted in September 2022 following the death of Kurdish Iranian Mahsa Amini in police custody. As Israel carried out its bombing campaign last month, Netanyahu used the phrase during an address to the Iranian people, asserting that "this is your opportunity to stand up and let your voices be heard." Thus far, no overt ties have been established between Israel and Kurdish factions, though, as evidenced by Israel's successful infiltration of Iran in the opening salvo of its latest attacks and in previous operations, the spearhead of Israel's offense often lies in the shadows. "Any support to an ethnic group if it takes place, it would be clandestine for the safety of that group and for Israel's own interests," Ofra Bengio, senior research fellow at Israel's Moshe Dayan Center, told Newsweek. "I think the main candidate for such cooperation might be the Kurdish minority," she said, "because it is the most organized and because it has had a long struggle behind it against any Iranian regime." At the same time, she noted that Israel's past efforts to openly cultivate minority movements abroad have proved "frustrating for both partners," citing the experience with Lebanon's predominantly Maronite Christian South Lebanon Army that effectively established its own state with Israeli backing during the country's 15-year civil war before collapsing upon the IDF's withdrawal in 2000. Even attempts at Kurdish partnerships in Iraq, Bengio argued, have "ended up with certain frustration for both sides." Then-Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Ground Forces commander-in-chief Mohammad Pakpour, now head of the entire IRGC, inspects the scene of a car bombing in front of a police station in the city of Chabahar, Sistan and... Then-Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Ground Forces commander-in-chief Mohammad Pakpour, now head of the entire IRGC, inspects the scene of a car bombing in front of a police station in the city of Chabahar, Sistan and Baluchestan province, on December 6, 2018. More FARS NEWS AGENCY/AFP/Getty Images The Battle for Balochistan While the Baloch constitute a far smaller portion of the Iranian populace, around 2 percent, anti-government protests have been particularly prevalent in the southeast Sistan and Baluchestan province, the poorest in the country. Armed factions present here and in neighboring Pakistan's Balochistan province have also proved a persistent threat to the security forces of both nations. The four primary Baloch separatist groups are the Balochistan Liberation Army, the Balochistan Liberation Front, Jaish ul-Adl and Ansar al-Farqan, the latter two of which are also explicitly Sunni Islamist in nature. On the political resistance front, one group that has increasingly garnered attention in recent years is the Free Balochistan Movement, led by activist Hyrbyair Marri, who is based in the United Kingdom. In comments shared with Newsweek, Marri accused the Iranian government of neglecting basic infrastructure and services in the province of Sistan and Baluchestan, and of "deliberately denying birth certificates to Baloch children—a systematic and calculated policy aimed at erasing their legal identity, displacing them from their ancestral homeland, and depriving them of their rightful citizenship in Balochistan." He also argued that "the Baloch have always coexisted peacefully with religious minorities and, like the Kurds, represent the antithesis of jihadism." Marri has recently been given a new platform through the Balochistan Studies Project inaugurated last month by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), a Washington, D.C-based media monitoring organization cofounded by former Israeli intelligence officer Yigal Carmon and Israeli American political scientist Meyrav Wurmser. "The goal of the project is to give a voice the Baloch people and to expose the brutal suppression by Pakistan and Iran of 60 million Baloch people, who remain voiceless in their own land, lacking a single independent TV channel, radio station, or newspaper," Anna Mahjar-Barducci, senior researcher at MEMRI, told Newsweek. "Pakistan and Iran are deeply fearful of the academic research conducted by MEMRI on Balochistan because it threatens to unveil the harsh realities of state-sponsored repression, ethnic cleansing, and resource exploitation that the Pakistani regime has long concealed from the global stage," she added. She cited an excerpt from the "Democratic Transitional Plan for Iran" announced by the Free Balochistan Movement and carried by MEMRI in November of last year. It seeks to provide a template for various national movements to cooperate at a time when "armed national insurgent groups, such as those in Kurdistan and Balochistan, seek to overthrow the regime and regain their independence." "Washington needs partners in the region, and America's strategic allies are called: Kurds, Ahwazis, and Balochs," Mahjar-Barducci said. "As soon as the West shows its interest, other ethnic groups will join the fight for freedom, prosperity, and liberty." People protest on the streets of Mahabad city in West Azerbaijan province, Iran, on November 17, 2022, during the "Women, Life, Freedom" demonstrations in response to the death of Mahsa Amini. People protest on the streets of Mahabad city in West Azerbaijan province, Iran, on November 17, 2022, during the "Women, Life, Freedom" demonstrations in response to the death of Mahsa Amini. Middle East Images/AFP/Getty Images Rules of Engagement Rewritten Jonathan Spyer, a British Israeli analyst who is head of the Middle East Forum and previously served in the IDF as a reservist in the 2006 Lebanon War, argued that the change in discourse at the unofficial level in Israel was likely indicative of shifting tides at the top levels of Israel as well. This comes, Spyer argued, at a time when "there is a greater awareness in Israel now that the region has changed" in fundamental ways that allow for new forms of building ties abroad. "In our 21st century context, by contrast with, let's say, the late 20th century, the role of non-government organizations in terms of cross-border, cross-country dialogue and activity is much greater than it was 40 years ago," Spyer told Newsweek. "The potential is much bigger," he added, "and also, the potential of NGOs to partner with states is a very notable feature of our current sort of global landscape." As such, he believed that a number of prominent organizations that have accelerated discussions regarding the plight faced by Iranian ethnic minorities, "especially because some of them are headed by former officials, are keyed into the discussion within the system." While the context is vastly different from the situation in Iran, Israel has also demonstrated its capacity to openly operate under the pretext of protecting minorities closer to home. Israel conducted new rounds of strikes against Syria's transitional government earlier this month in a stated effort to prevent violence targeting the Druze, a religious community that also has a sizable presence in Israel. In an op-ed published by Newsweek amid the clashes that rocked southern Syria, Sawsan Natour-Hasson, minister for public diplomacy at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., praised the raids conducted by her country, which she described as "the only democracy in the Middle East that actively protects minority rights." But how Israel could feasibly proceed with such plans in Iran remains uncertain, even as the dust continues to settle from Iran's direct confrontation with both Israeli and U.S. airstrikes. Spyer said such a framework would necessitate first establishing a channel of communication based on trust and identifying needs of specific groups within Iran "to increase the capacity and capabilities of whichever body you're dealing," including in the realms of "propaganda and information." "Obviously, at the top level will be military support, the provision of weaponry and military and hard capacities in that area," Spyer said. "And that's not unimaginable, either." A member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stands guard at Enqelab-e-Eslami square in downtown Tehran, Iran, amid heightened postwar security measures on June 24. A member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stands guard at Enqelab-e-Eslami square in downtown Tehran, Iran, amid heightened postwar security measures on June 24. Vahid Salemi/AP Risking Blowback Spyer also signaled caution to such an approach, given past lessons of nations backing non-state actors in the Middle East, a tactic Iran itself has excelled in for more than four decades. Iran's Axis of Resistance coalition, though battered from the broader war with Israel that erupted in October 2023, was the product of Tehran's long-standing investment in supporting predominantly Shiite Muslim factions in the majority-Sunni Muslim region, counting main forces in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen, as well as smaller movements in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bahrain and Pakistan. "The question is whether Israel wants to get into the game or not, and I think that that's why these are the issues that are under discussion," Spyer said. "And I think that the potential, at least in my humble opinion, is very considerable." Senior Iranian officials have also acknowledged the risk posed by Israeli inroads within its territory, while warning they, too, had assets they could activate behind enemy lines. "I believe that the countries that have problems with each other, and even while you have enemies, such as Israel, it's normal that they work in the others' territories to gain information, to work towards infiltration, as Iran is doing in Israel," Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi told reporters during a small gathering last week in New York. "Also, we have our own sources there. We have our own targets in Israel," Gharibabadi, who serves as Iran's lead negotiator in nuclear talks with the United States. "But by the way, it is the responsibility of the security services to identify those that are working with Israel." He asserted that Iranian security forces had "arrested several people throughout the country that were working with Israel" during the war, and that "there will be no mercy for them" within "the context of our laws and regulations." But there's another inherent risk he identified in such a plan, and that involves past lessons in nations backing non-state actors in the Middle East only to inadvertently face new foes in an arena of even greater instability. "The enemy of your enemy is not necessarily your friend. That's something which is really important to bear in mind," Spyer said. "And in the specific context of the struggle against Iran, the danger area, of course, is that there are movements, I would say, specifically, of the Sunni Salafi and extreme Sunni jihadi variety, who are opposed to the Islamic Republic of Iran." A number of experts and former U.S. officials recently told Newsweek that the Islamic State militant group (ISIS), particularly its Khorasan branch, could also seek to take advantage of a weakened Iran to sow further unrest. Lahav emphasized that stringent measures would need to be taken in Israel's outreach to Iranian insurgent groups to avoid creating outcomes with the potential to be just as unfavorable, or even more unfavorable, to national and regional security. "They need some help, not only financing, but also some support logistically from the world," Lahav said. "So, there will be some external coalition that will support them, I think, financially, also with some arms and training, if it's possible." "But we need also to make sure that this is not going to be like we're supporting any kind of civil war, or we're supporting some groups that they will take dictatorship and change it with a new dictatorship."
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Baloch leader says with india on air strike in Pak & Pok
NEW DELHI: As Parliament began its debate on Operation Sindoor on Monday, prominent Baloch voice Mir Yar Baloch addressed an open letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, extending 'unconditional moral support' to India's military response and urging New Delhi to raise the issue of Balochistan in Parliament. In letters also marked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah, Mir Yar praised India's unity and resolve against Pakistan's 'state-sponsored terrorism.' 'We, the 60 million Baloch people, admire the unwavering unity of the Indian people and the principled stand of the Indian government,' he wrote. He commended the Opposition for backing the government and the armed forces, and hailed the Indian media's 'patriotic role' in countering 'Pakistan's military and psychological aggression.' Claiming renewed Pakistani military brutality in Balochistan following the pause in Operation Sindoor, he said: 'These are reprisals against our support for India.' Mir Yar appealed for Indian solidarity, saying the Baloch view India as a beacon of hope and justice. He urged India to formally support Balochistan's independence, calling it a strategic and moral imperative. A free Balochistan, he argued, would cut off Pakistan's access to the Arabian Sea via Gwadar and disrupt the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)—which he termed a threat to India's security. Referring to the Hinglaj Mata temple in Balochistan, he called it a symbol of shared cultural heritage and urged India to stand for 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.'
