Jaffer Express Episode Drags China into Balochistan Blowback
Jaffer Express Train hijack episode (Image credit X.com)
Balochistan Rebels Issue Ultimatum to Xi Jinping to Exit Gwadar Port
By Manish Anand
New Delhi, March 13: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has claimed that the Jaffer Express hijack has ended. Sharif said that 33 militants had been killed while 23 hostages also died. But Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has rebutted, saying that “this is just the beginning to oust China from the region”.
“Motive of our attack was very clear. It was a simple and clear message to China and Pakistan to withdraw immediately from Balochistan,” said a BLA rebel in a video message.
He said that “this warning to China and Pakistan was also given by our leader, General Aslam Baloch. But China failed to pay heed.” The Pakistani commentators are taking grim notes of the Jaffer Express Train hijacking incident.
The Pakistani television studio discussions grimly note that the army has failed to curb the rebellion in the region. After decades of suppressions, the Baloch rebels have announced their arrivals in geopolitics by standing tall against the Pakistani Army.
“We once again make it clear that Gwadar and the rest of Balochistan belong to Baloch. It’s our duty to protect our land and sea,” said the Baloch rebel in the video message.
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Chinese engineers have been attacked on multiple occasions in the past in Pakistan. Scores of Chinese officials have been killed in Pakistan. Reports said that China is building pressure on Pakistan for deployment of its security personnel to safeguard the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Lt. Gen. (Retd) K J Singh, while speaking to The Raisina Hills, had said that “Pakistan has raised two battalions on the demand of China to protect CPEC”. With the Baloch rebels now giving an ultimatum to Xi, China may begin losing trust in the ability of Pakistan to protect CPEC, which is part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Experts state that almost one-third of Pakistan’s foreign debt is on account of China. The Communist nation is unforgiving in default on debt. Thus, Pakistan is in debt trap of China. Gwadar Port, thus, is almost a Chinese asset which has riled up the Baloch rebels.
The Baloch rebels in an e-mail to media persons in Pakistan claimed that “all enemy positions are being repelled on all fronts”. “This is a continuous operation that has been initiated to safeguard the Baloch Sea from China, Pakistan and other foreign powers,” said the Baloch rebel.
In a stern message to Xi Jinping, the rebel said, “China, you came here without our consent, supported our enemies, helped Pakistani military in wiping our villages. But now it’s your turn.” Baloch Liberation Army guarantees you that CPEC will fail miserably on Baloch land, he added.
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