Pakistan grapples with a persistent issue: targeted killings based on ethnicity and religion. The recent massacre of nine Punjabi passengers in Noshki, Balochistan, exemplifies this grim reality.<\/p>\n
Armed militants stopped a bus on the Quetta-Taftan highway, identified the Punjabi passengers, and murdered them. This echoes a similar attack last year where six Punjabi construction workers were killed in Turbat. Sectarian violence also plagues the nation. In 2011 and 2012, Shia passengers were massacred in separate incidents.<\/p>\n
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for Noshki, highlighting a pattern of targeting “outsiders,” often poor workers. While the separatists’ grievances deserve recognition, these killings only alienate their cause.<\/p>\n
Balochistan’s insecurity mirrors national security concerns. Religious militancy flourishes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the north, while Baloch separatism creates a volatile situation in Balochistan. These independent but equally dangerous threats demand immediate attention.<\/p>\n
Despite a heavy security presence, Balochistan struggles to control militancy. Why do separatists continue to target civilians and security forces?<\/p>\n
A two-pronged approach is crucial. In the short term, authorities must neutralize armed groups and sever their links with potential foreign backers. Long-term solutions require addressing poverty and deprivation in the region to weaken recruitment for separatist movements.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Pakistan grapples with a persistent issue: targeted killings based on ethnicity and religion. The recent massacre of nine Punjabi passengers in Noshki, Balochistan, exemplifies this grim reality. Armed militants stopped a bus on the Quetta-Taftan highway, identified the Punjabi passengers, and murdered them. This echoes a similar attack last year where six Punjabi construction workers […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1169,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[92,30],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[95],"class_list":{"0":"post-2339","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-editorial","8":"category-latest"},"yoast_head":"\n