SOURCE: AFI
In a candid conversation with Dr. Munawar Hussain Panhwer, Assistant Professor at the Area Study Centre for Africa, North, and South America at Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Mubeen Shah, a Kashmiri-born NRI businessman, has leveled sharp criticism against the Pakistani military’s conduct in Balochistan. Shah argues that the military’s actions in the restive province are not only eroding its credibility but also providing India with ammunition to counter Pakistan’s long-standing narrative on Kashmir.
His remarks, made as of March 30, 2025, highlight a growing disconnect between Pakistan’s claims of championing Kashmiri rights and the reality of its domestic policies, drawing parallels that resonate deeply in the Kashmir Valley.
Shah pointed out that India is increasingly spotlighting the Pakistani military’s heavy-handed approach in Balochistan, where a decades-long insurgency has pitted Baloch rebels against what they describe as a Punjabi-dominated state. “India is highlighting things the Pakistani military has been doing in Balochistan that have eroded confidence in the Pakistani military, which often tries to claim it is fighting for the rights of the Kashmiris,” Shah told Dr. Panhwer. He emphasized that the brutal crackdowns, enforced disappearances, and resource exploitation in Balochistan—Pakistan’s largest yet poorest province—stand in stark contrast to Islamabad’s portrayal of itself as a defender of oppressed Muslims in Kashmir.
The businessman’s critique aligns with a narrative gaining traction in Indian media and military circles: that the Pakistani military’s tactics in Balochistan serve as a warning to Kashmiris. “What you’re doing in Balochistan is being watched closely in Kashmir,” Shah warned. “Kashmiris are told by the Indian media and military that the Pakistani military will do the same to you if Kashmiris try to join Pakistan.” This messaging, he argued, undermines Pakistan’s appeal in the Valley, where its advocacy for Kashmiri self-determination has historically found sympathy.
Shah went further, urging Pakistan to address the root causes of unrest in Balochistan rather than relying on military suppression. “Pakistan needs to sit down and settle down issues with the Balochistan rebels who are fighting for their freedom from dominant Punjabi Pakistan,” he asserted. The Baloch insurgency, led by groups like the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), stems from grievances over economic marginalization, cultural suppression, and the exploitation of the province’s vast natural resources—oil, gas, and minerals—by a Punjabi-centric elite. Recent escalations, such as the BLA’s train hijacking in March 2025 and attacks on military convoys, underscore the rebels’ growing audacity and the state’s failure to quell the uprising.
For decades, Pakistan has positioned itself as a protector of Kashmiri rights, leveraging the Kashmir dispute to rally domestic and international support against India. However, Shah contends that the military’s actions in Balochistan are unraveling this narrative. Indian media outlets, from NDTV to The Times of India, frequently juxtapose Pakistan’s crackdowns in Balochistan with its rhetoric on Kashmir, framing it as evidence of hypocrisy. The Indian military, too, has capitalized on this, warning Kashmiris of a similar fate under Pakistani control—a message amplified after high-profile incidents like the 2021 Jammu drone attack, blamed on Pakistan-backed elements.
Shah, speaking as a Kashmiri diaspora voice, suggested that this perception shift is taking root. “Kashmiris are not blind,” he told Dr. Panhwer. “They see the violence, the disappearances, the protests in Balochistan, and they question what Pakistan’s promises really mean.” The businessman’s personal ties to Kashmir lend weight to his observations, reflecting a sentiment that Pakistan’s internal contradictions could erode its influence in the Valley, especially as India consolidates its grip post the 2019 revocation of Article 370.
As Pakistan grapples with economic crises and internal dissent, its handling of Balochistan could have broader ramifications. India’s diplomatic push at forums like the United Nations, accusing Pakistan of illegal occupation in Jammu and Kashmir while highlighting Balochistan’s plight, gains traction with each military misstep. Shah’s remarks also come amid Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus’ provocative comments on India’s Seven Sisters, suggesting a regional undercurrent of ethnic and territorial tensions that Pakistan can ill afford to ignore.
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