The Pakistani Army said it arrested Gulzar Imam in an operation but did not say where and when the arrest took place
by Aiman Khan 12 April 2023
The Pakistani military said on April 07, 2023, that it had captured Gulzar Imam, also known by the name Shambay, the founder and leader of the Baloch National Army (BNA), a banned separatist group operating in the southwestern province of Balochistan. The BNA is an umbrella organization for various Baloch militant factions that emerged last year after the merger of two main groups: the Baloch Republican Army and United Baloch Army.
Imam is one of the key figures in the decades-old Baloch insurgency. Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest and poorest province, endowed with rich natural resources such as gas, coal, copper and gold, but plagued by underdevelopment, corruption and violence.
The military said that Imam was arrested as a result of a months-long intelligence operation and described him as a “high-value target” who had been involved in dozens of terrorist attacks in Pakistan, targeting security forces and civilian installations. The military also claimed that Imam had visited India and Afghanistan and had links with hostile intelligence agencies, implying that he was receiving external support for his activities. Pakistan has repeatedly accused India of sponsoring and funding the Baloch rebels as part of its covert war against Pakistan. India, however, has remained heavily involved in propaganda about situation in Balochistan.
The arrest of Imam is a major blow to the BNA and other Baloch militant groups that have been waging a low-intensity guerrilla war against the Pakistani state. It is also a setback for India’s strategy of using Baloch proxies to undermine Pakistan’s stability and security.
The arrest may also benefit China, which has invested billions of dollars in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of its Belt and Road Initiative that passes through Balochistan. The CPEC has faced resistance and sabotage from Baloch rebels. The arrest of Imam may help secure the CPEC projects and enhance the security cooperation between Pakistan and China..
The Baloch insurgency in Pakistan is not a new phenomenon. It has been going on for several decades, fueled by a deep-seated sense of deprivation and marginalization and exploited by foreign hostile elements. The Baloch people have long complained that their resources are being exploited by outsiders, and they have demanded greater political and economic rights.
The Baloch militants have been fighting through violent means, such as bombing, kidnapping, and killing. The Pakistani government has responded with repeated negotiations and as last resort through force, launching military operations, and cracking down on the separatist groups. The conflict has resulted in the casualties including civilians, militants, and security personnel.
Gulzar Imam, the arrested leader of the BNA, was considered one of the key figures in the Baloch insurgency. The Pakistani military claimed that Imam was involved in dozens of terrorist attacks in Pakistan, targeting security forces and civilian installations while receiving external support for his activities.
India has denied any involvement in the Baloch insurgency, but it has been accused by Pakistan of supporting the separatist groups. The arrest of Gulzar Imam may further strain the already tense relations between India and Pakistan.
Imam arrest is also a big success for Pakistani intelligence agencies that captured a key person who was living under the wings of hostile foreign intelligence agencies. These so called separatist leaders work for hostile agencies and are involved in misguiding local youth and using them against their own country.
Most Baloch terrorist leaders are living abroad and enjoy luxury living in foreign countries. It is pertinent to ask, how are they affording their expenses and from where do they receive funds? These are questions that need to be asked by young Baloch from all those militant groups who are misguiding them and asking to kill innocent people and security personnel in Balochistan just to fulfill hostile foreign agencies’ agenda.
However, it is incumbent on government to bridge the misunderstandings, build confidence amongst the masses in Balochistan. But it needs people who work wholeheartedly to reach masses in their language and share the facts and true information with them that state is not their enemy.
The arrest of Gulzar Imam is a significant development in the decades-long Baloch insurgency in Pakistan. The arrest is a major blow to the Baloch militants and may inspire other militants to seek a peaceful solution to the conflict.