‘In the future, we should anticipate seeing more hybrid wars where conventional warfare, irregular warfare, asymmetric warfare, and information warfare all blend together, creating a very complex and challenging situation to the combatants; therefore, it will require military forces to possess hybrid capabilities, which might help deal with hybrid threats.’ – Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono
The author supported the argument that the coming era is of irregular warfare. Pakistan is facing the irregular warfare after the Global War on Terror started. To an extent, terrorism and insurgency have been curbed via different measures. However, there are still different parts of Balochistan where insurgency exists but on a minimal level. Due to endless efforts of Law Enforcement Agencies, and Pakistan Army the boom of terrorism came to an end.
‘Balochistan is the hub of terrorism’ it is a gone story now, security forces are very active and terrorism has been contained, a phenomenon which was referred to as one which could never be put to rest. Despite the fact that terrorism has been curtailed to a minimum level, there were some disturbing events witnessed in the last week. 15 men were found dead with bullets in their bodies in Turbat district. These dead people were supposed to cross the border and aimed to enter Europe via Iran. The bullet-riddled bodies were found by the Levies from the Buleda area of Kech district near the Pakistan-Iran border of Gurok. The banned Baloch Liberation Front (BLF), headed by Allah Nazar Baloch had claimed responsibility for the killings.
After the responsibility was claimed, FC Balochistan conducted an Intelligence based Operation (IBO) in a nick of time in Turbat. The operation was successful with the killing of Younas Taukali, one of the top 8 BLF commanders. Two soldiers were injured whereas one FC soldier embraced martyrdom. On further exploration of the terrorist den, FC came to know that he was planning to install improvised explosive devices (IEDs) for ambushing FC convoys and killing several other civilians.
Furthermore, FIA also arrested the two men who were involved in human trafficking. After their arrest, 5 more bodies were found which were dumped in Turbat. Both of the men have confessed to their heinous crimes. The smuggler confessed that they had lured the men into sending them to Germany illegally with the help of his brother residing in the country.
The story did not end here, yesterday a landmark was achieved by FC Balochistan as they recovered 18 hostages from a terrorist hideout in Turbat. According to the ISPR statement, ‘during the operation, 18 hostages including two Pakistani and 19 foreigners (Nigerian and Yemeni) were recovered. They were kept as hostages by militants’. Moreover, two terrorists were killed in the IBO. A large cache of ammunition and IEDs were found from the site. The intense interrogation is ongoing with the terrorists who are apprehended, which will further enlighten regarding what they were about to do with the hostages. Either they were about to follow the same fate as those who were crossing the borders illegally or they were kept for some other purpose.
The efforts of Law Enforcement Agencies and all internal organs which are synced with them should be hailed as the operations are going successfully. It is quite a tough job in a province like Balochistan whose terrain is only suitable for insurgents. As the Intelligence Based Operations ratio is increasing day by day, the terrorist countdown has begun. Furthermore, those who have been injured and deceased are already been catered by the government and respective institutions. Balochistan is on the way to progress where such hurdles don’t matter anymore.
