Pakistan: As revolt in Balochistan burns Pakistan Army, is it a warning for Donald Trump, Xi Jinping?

New Delhi: The Balochistan province of Pakistan is currently going through a bloody turmoil. The province has been stained red with the blood of the Baloch people, where a series of suicide attacks in recent days saw several Baloch insurgents blow themselves up, killing approximately 31 people. Following this, the Pakistani government has unleashed a brutal crackdown on the Baloch insurgents.

Reports indicate that more than 150 insurgents have been killed by Pakistani troops. Earlier on Saturday, the Baloch insurgents had shaken all of Pakistan with their suicide attacks. These attacks are also being seen as a major warning to the United States and China.

Is Balochistan a warning for US, China?

Both the US and China have their own interests in this region of Pakistan. Balochistan, a region far removed from development, possesses vast reserves of natural gas and rare minerals, which are no less than a treasure trove for Pakistan, China, and the US. China and the US have been eyeing these resources for many years. However, experts say that the recent large-scale attack by the Baloch insurgents should be a wake-up call for both the US and China.

On December 10, the US announced a $1.25 billion investment to support the mining of critical minerals, including gold and copper, at Reko Diq in the remote Chaghai district of Balochistan. A few months earlier, a Missouri-based firm, USSM, also signed a $500 million MoU with Pakistan's Frontier Works Organization to explore the extraction and refining of rare earth and other minerals. For China, the stakes are even higher. Balochistan is a central pillar of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a key component of Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative.

Why is Balochistan burning for decades?

Since 1948, Pakistani security forces have repeatedly clashed with Baloch insurgents in their attempts to suppress independence movements in Balochistan. Now, since 2020, the Baloch liberation movement is in its strongest phase. Recent attacks bear witness to this. Saturday's attack should be of particular concern to the US and China because their interests in the region are, in many ways, fueling the Baloch movement.

The BLA has given several reasons to justify its desire to liberate Balochistan from Pakistan, and one stands out in particular. One of the BLA's main grievances is the external exploitation of local resources. The BLA largely opposes Pakistan because it claims the government is exploiting the province's vast natural resources, and the Baloch people receive nothing in return. Foreign policy expert Michael Kugelman wrote in a post on X that the attacks in Balochistan should be a wake-up call for those who have their eyes on Pakistan's significant mineral reserves.