India raises Baluchistan issue at UN

On 8^th June 2017, India again raised the issue of human rights violation in Baluchistan at the UNHRC, accusing Pakistan of using air power against its own people.

Background

Pakistan while advocating restrains to others has not hesitated in using air power against its own people in Baluchistan. India blamed Pakistan at the United Nations Human Rights Council for systematically violating the human rights in Baluchistan and in the region of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Pakistan has been accused for abusing rights for territorial claims and use of terrorism as a state policy. It has been charged for allowing UN designated terrorists into Pakistan and for causing violence in the Kashmir valley. The current situation of cross border terrorism in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir is blamed to be emanating from Pakistan.

Baluchistan situation

The root of the conflict can be traced back to the country’s independence when Baluchistan refused to join the new nation but was annexed by it in 1948. The separatist groups in Baluchistan accused the government for denying rights, to the people of the province.  There have been several insurgencies and violent campaigns have been held by Baluchistan nationalist for independence from the country.

Pakistani atrocities in the region has attracted international condemnation. Armed groups have targeted civilians leading to hundreds of casualties, paramilitary groups have committed human rights violation and violence against women. Minority discrimination, extra judicial killing and enforced disappearance has led to gross human rights violation in the region. Recently, Pakistan has also been blamed for using air power against the Baluch’s.

Why is Baluchistan important to Pakistan?  

The province is of great importance to Pakistan’s grand economic and geo-political strategies. It is an important location in the economic corridor that China has proposed, linking the Gwadar port with the city of Kashgar, a trading hub in the western Chinese region of Xinjiang.

The Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline is also planned to go through Baluchistan. In order to implement these projects, Pakistan should settle the problems with the insurgents and avoid internationalisation of the conflict.

Assessment

India is against the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is a part of the OBOR project as the corridor goes through the Pakistan occupied Kashmir & Baluchistan is an important location in this project. This step taken by India, could bring lamplight to the Baluchistan’s issue in its decision against the OBOR project being unheard. This could also deter China from going ahead with the CPEC project. This would also draw global attention to Pakistan’s oldest internal conflict in Baluchistan and deter Pakistan’s support to terrorism that has been targeting India.