NEW DELHI: Following the deadly attack on the Jaffar Express in Balochistan, former Jammu and Kashmir director general of police (DGP) SP Vaid has claimed that Pakistan’s government and military have lost control over the region.
“Pakistan’s army and government have no control over Balochistan. In such a situation, it is not surprising that all this is happening. Pakistan is on the verge of breaking up,” he said.
He further pointed out that just days ago, various militant organisations in Balochistan and Sindh joined forces to challenge the sovereignty of the Pakistani government and army. “I will not be surprised if Pakistan breaks into four pieces,” he added.
Speaking on the ongoing insurgency, Vaid elaborated how Pakistan’s Senate member Maulana Fazlur Rehman had earlier admitted that six to seven districts in Balochistan were entirely under the control of terrorists.
Echoing similar concerns, retired Indian Army officer Major General GD Bakshi said that Balochistan had slipped out of Pakistan’s control, exposing the weakness of its military. He described the train attack as a major development that revealed deep-seated instability.
“The train hijack in Balochistan is very significant. A train has 450-500 people, and they have taken them as hostages. Hostage rescue is a very delicate operation, and I don’t think the Pakistan Army can carry it out without major casualties. These are precision operations that our NSG does well, but the Pakistani army’s approach is crude, often relying on heavy artillery.”
Bakshi also suggested that the Baloch insurgency had reached a tipping point, with militant groups openly challenging the state. “I think the time for the birth of Balochistan has come,” he said, warning that the Pakistan Army may resort to drastic measures to divert attention from its failures.
“We have to remain careful at our borders because the Pak Army may do anything to shift focus”, he added.
Jaffar Express hijacked
The crisis in Balochistan escalated on Tuesday when the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) derailed the Jaffar Express in Bolan, attacking the train and taking over 100 passengers hostage. The group claimed to have killed 20 Pakistani soldiers and even shot down a military drone.
According to a statement by the BLA, “Among the hostages are active-duty personnel from the Pakistani military, police, Anti-Terrorism Force (ATF), and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), all of whom were traveling to Punjab on leave. If the Pakistani forces attempt any military intervention, all hostages will be executed.”
The Baloch insurgency has been a long-running issue, with separatist groups demanding independence and greater control over the province’s rich natural resources. With the latest train attack, tensions have further intensified, raising concerns over Pakistan’s ability to maintain its territorial integrity.
This article was originally published by a timesofindia.indiatimes.com . Read the Original article here. .