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Former Indian diplomat Yash Sinha on Sunday said that Pakistan's reported air raids in Balochistan are "not new", recalling that similar actions have taken place in the past, including during the tenure of former Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
Speaking to ANI on Pakistan's recent air raids in Balochistan's Khuzdar district, Sinha said, "Even Zulfikar Ali Bhutto did that. This is not new. In the 70s, Bhutto used the Pakistani Air Force to strafe Balochistan. They have done this in the past, and they will do it again." He said Pakistan's leadership has historically resorted to using force to suppress the people of Balochistan and will "try at any cost to retain" control over the region. Sinha also criticised Pakistan for repeatedly blaming India for unrest in Balochistan. "They will try at any cost to retain Balochistan, and they will find scapegoats, like India, which is a scapegoat," the former diplomat said. Sinha further rejected Islamabad's accusations of Indian involvement, pointing out the geographical and ideological absurdity. "We don't even have a contiguous border with Balochistan, but they accuse us of being responsible for supporting Balochistan and the Taliban. How absurd can that be, because what India stands for and what the Taliban stands for are antitheses completely," he added. The diplomat's remarks come weeks after reports of alleged Pakistani airstrikes in Balochistan, where shelling and bombardments orchestrated by Pakistan Army drones and helicopters took place in the Moola Pass area of Bel Chari on October 5, leading to at least five immediate fatalities and numerous injuries, according to The Balochistan Post (TBP). Earlier, on October 1, an alleged drone strike by the Pakistan army near Trassani, Zehri, resulted in the deaths of three individuals, including two women, and left five others injured, among whom was a four-year-old child. Communication lines remain disrupted, complicating efforts to verify the extent of the operation or the total number of casualties, TBP reported. Balochistan is a region rich in natural resources, yet its people have consistently faced a lack of basic services. There are no hospitals available in Balochistan, and even where they do exist, medical facilities and equipment are grossly inadequate. The situation is similarly dire in education, transportation, water supply, agriculture, and nearly every aspect of life. Residents of Zehri tehsil in Khuzdar district have accused the Pakistani military of carrying out indiscriminate air and drone strikes that have killed civilians, including women and children, amid a siege that has continued for over a month. The strikes have devastated several villages, leaving families trapped without food, water, or medical aid under an indefinite curfew, as reported by The Balochistan Post. The Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB) reported that the siege began in early September after clashes between Baloch fighters and government forces. In response, the military launched widespread raids, blocked roads, and severed communications, isolating entire communities. HRCB stated that these "retaliatory" strikes have disproportionately affected civilians. It documented multiple attacks: a September 15 airstrike that killed three villagers, a September 17 drone attack that killed four people, including two women and an October 1 strike near cotton fields that claimed four more lives. (ANI)
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