BLA Condemns Anti-Pashtun Violence; Highlights Pakistani State Tactics

The Baloch Liberation Army condemned the attack on Pashtuns and the killing of 20 laborers in Dukki, calling it a Pakistani ploy to incite Baloch-Pashtun conflict. They highlighted the Pakistani military's dual role in extortion and violence, urging foreign investors to recognize Balochistan's conflict-ridden reality.

The Baloch Liberation Army has strongly denounced recent attacks on Pashtuns in Dukki, including the killing of twenty unarmed laborers, according to a report by the Balochistan Post. In a statement released on Saturday, the BLA accused the Pakistani establishment of orchestrating these acts of terrorism to fuel tensions between the Baloch and Pashtun nations, echoing tactics first seen in the 1980s.

The BLA highlighted Pakistan's ongoing failure to disrupt the longstanding brotherly relationship between Baloch and Pashtuns. They criticized the Pakistani military for collecting lucrative security fees from coal mines while perpetrating violence against laborers. The brutal attack reportedly took place near the Junaid Coal Company, about 8-10 kilometers from Dukki town. Local authorities noted that a group of 30 to 40 heavily armed assailants raided miners' quarters, targeting workers resting post-shift.

Advanced weaponry, including automatic rifles, rockets, and grenades, was used by attackers, leading to at least 20 miner fatalities, numerous injuries, and critical casualties, as reported. Frustration has mounted among local coal mine owners, including district council chairman Haji Khairullah Nasir, over the lack of intervention by Pakistan's security forces despite multiple pleas for help. Assailants supposedly deployed drones to locate miners, underscoring the sophisticated nature of the assault.

The BLA argues that Pakistan's desperate tactics are designed to instigate animosity between Baloch and Pashtuns, misrepresenting Balochistan's liberation efforts as an internal feud to deceive international observers. Both communities, according to the BLA, are aware of the Punjabi-led state's strategies. Regions like Dukki and other Pashtun territories, historically part of Afghanistan, remain under Pakistani occupation, showcasing a shared plight.

Additionally, the BLA cautioned foreign investors to acknowledge Balochistan as a conflict zone and to question Pakistan's claims of stability. They urgently advised investors, particularly from Arab nations, to be aware of the historical context of exploitation and colonialism, urging respect for Baloch self-determination and discouragement of backing Pakistan's presence, as noted by the Balochistan Post. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)