Pak forces masking military setbacks by carrying out extrajudicial killings in Balochistan: Report
Quetta, July 15 (IANS) Balochistan continues to witness one of its bloodiest periods in recent times with dozens of Pakistani army and security personnel having been killed in a series of attacks carried out by Baloch armed groups beginning July 5, a report has stated.
Citing various statements from security forces, the local media has also reported killing of over 100 Baloch fighters in the same period, with 64 of those deaths linked to ‘Operation Shaban’ launched against Baloch freedom fighters.
Writing for Eurasia Review, retired Indian Army Officer Nilesh Kunwar mentioned that following the launch of the July 5 attacks, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) would almost certainly have taken basic precautionary measures ahead of the expected retaliatory operations, including relocating from their bases, dispersing into smaller groups and concealing their positions from both ground and aerial surveillance.
“As such, if the Pakistan army could still accurately identify the latest locations where Baloch fighters had taken refuge and eliminate 64 of them in just a matter of days as it claims, then it’s evident that they possess extraordinary surveillance capabilities. And if this is true, then why didn’t the Pakistan army launch ‘Operation Shaban’ earlier and save many lives? Instead of being proactive, why does the Pakistan army wait for some major incident and only take concerted military action thereafter?’ Kunwar asked.
Recalling Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir’s April 2025 claim that “we will soon beat hell out of them” (Baloch sarmachars), he further said, “As more than a year has since elapsed and armed Baloch groups continue to challenge government writ with impunity by frequently blocking highways, taking temporary control of places and attacking security forces at will, the next question that the people are now asking is – how long will the Field Marshal’s ‘soon’ take?”
Kunwar wrote that the Pakistan army has a “dubious record” of carrying out extra-judicial killings and portraying those killed as terrorists just to mask its military setbacks, noting that this isn’t an unsubstantiated allegation.
He referred to the remarks made by the then Director General [DG] of Pakistan army’s media wing, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), who had openly admitted the issue when questioned about enforced disappearances in Balochistan during a media interaction in April 2019.
“We don’t wish that anyone should be missing. But when it is war, you have to do a lot of [unpleasant] things – as they say, all is fair in love and war; war is very ruthless,” Kunwar cited the Pakistani official as saying, asking whether any further proof was required.
Questioning the credibility of the Pakistani army’s casualty claims and accusing it of operating without accountability, he remarked, “As dead men don’t talk and ISPR is adept in spinning yarns, it’s impossible to say for sure as to how many of the more-than-one-hundred killed by the Pakistani security forces in Balochistan are actually BLA fighters. With no one to hold their hands, the Baloch people are a forsaken lot, and to add to their woes, the Pakistan army is having a field day due to complete lack of accountability.”
–IANS
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