In its efforts to woo foreign investment and overhaul its image, Pakistan is trying to sell the natural resources of Balochistan to the world.

The Government of Pakistan has imposed a series of restrictions to maintain law and order in Balochistan, the largest and most troubled province of the country. Issuing a notice on 17 May, the Government imposed Section 144 across Balochistan for a period of one month. The notification put restrictions on all public gatherings, including rallies and processions involving five or more people. Covering of faces in public places is also prohibited.

Imposition of restrictive measures in Balochistan vindicates the failure of the Pakistan Military, Federal Government, and the Provincial Government led by Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti to bring the armed struggle of Baloch rebels under control. Pakistan security forces have been incurring huge losses at the hands Baloch militants. On 12 May, in the latest case, a search operation team came under heavy fire from the Baloch militants in Barkhan District, killing five Pakistani military personnel.  

Pakistan’s Balochistan problem has lingered for eight decades. The ruling elite has failed to come up with a mutually acceptable solution to the problem that has led to four Baloch insurgencies in the short history of the country: 1948, 1958, 1973, and 2003. The latest insurgency intensified with the alleged rape of a Baloch doctor, from the Bugti Tribe, by a colonel of the Pakistan Army in 2005. 

The rape took place at Sui, Dera Bugti, in the heavily guarded government-owned natural gas plant. The colonel was never held accountable; instead, the doctor was held captive and threatened to stay silent. This not only provoked the Baloch but also united various tribes to seek justice for a Baloch woman, intensifying attacks on the Pakistan Army. In response, instead of addressing the heinous crime and punishing the colonel, Pakistani forces killed the prominent Bugti tribe leader, Akbar Bugti, in August 2006. 

Naturally, the killing stoked up anger, strengthening Baloch nationalist sentiment and escalating the conflict. Since then, the situation has been compounded further with huge human rights violations, with the adoption of the brutal “kill and dump” policy of the Pakistani State. 

In 2011, a senior vice-president of the Balochistan High Court Bar Association (BHCBA) had warned that if the “kill and dump” policy was not stopped, the situation in Balochistan could go out of control. Over 15 years later, the situation in Balochistan has only worsened further. Even the people who raise their voice on human rights violations of the Baloch people, like the leadership of Baloch Yekjehti Committee (BYC) and their supporters, are sent behind bars. 

The ruling elite remain deluded by the notion that the country’s strong military can help it to end the conflict in Balochistan. That is a grossly miscalculated assumption. Internal reports have time and again underlined the reality in Balochistan. Calling its 2025 report on Balochistan Balochistan’s Crisis of Trust, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) had said in its press release that “The mission’s findings reveal a disturbing pattern of continued enforced disappearances, shrinking civic space, erosion of provincial autonomy and unchecked impunity—conditions that continue to fuel public alienation and political instability.” 

At a time when Islamabad is trying to promote an image of being a regional stabilising force and making efforts to bring the two warring factions in the US-led war against Iran to the negotiation table, the persisting internal instability and Islamabad’s approach towards Balochistan and the Baloch people expose its efforts to portray the country in a positive light. 

Shorn of any credibility that it could utilise to overhaul the country’s image by overlooking conflict in Balochistan and security issues in general, the country’s leadership resorts to the practice of externalising the blame and accusing others of damaging its image. 

In a recent statement, Pakistani Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar issued a long statement on X: “We understand quite clearly that behind such stories are certain elements, mainly the detractors of peace, who are unable to come to terms with Pakistan’s role for peace in the region as well as Pakistan’s continued and successful fight against foreign-sponsored and abetted terrorism.” Tarar stated that it seems some elements could not digest the fact that Pakistan was playing a role in regional stability and making progress in eliminating terrorism. 

Measures like the ones taken in Balochistan are a self-evident acknowledgement that the real situation in the province is worrying. Reality is that Balochistan remains Pakistan’s most deprived and poor province despite being rich in natural resources and having a long coastline. The poverty in Balochistan increased from 41.8 per cent in 2019 to 47 per cent in the Financial Year 2025, way high above the national poverty rate of over 29 per cent.

In its efforts to woo foreign investment and overhaul its image, Pakistan is trying to sell the natural resources of Balochistan to the world. Lately, it has tried to woo the US to invest in the critical minerals of Balochistan, including copper. When Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshall Asim Munir presented rare earth minerals to President Donald Trump while on a visit to the US in October 2025, the Chief Secretary of Balochistan said in a statement in December that “American and other companies are interested in investment in this mineral (antimony, among others), which is more precious than gold and copper.” 

While the government is making ambitious efforts to entice foreign countries to invest and dig minerals from Balochistan, regional parties like the Balochistan National Party (BNP) have raised questions on the laws that allow the extraction of Balochistan’s resources. 

The hard reality is that situation in Balochistan remains abysmal: use of force, threatening and arresting people like Mahrang Baloch and others. This will not resolve the Baloch problem; nor will it divert attention from the issue. The country needs concrete steps, acceptable to the Baloch people, to resolve the issue of continued Baloch resistance.

But the brutal use of force by the Pakistani state against the poorest province of Pakistan is unlikely to change in a country where the military’s domineering presence in politics remains strong. This will keep fuelling public apathy and disaffection in Balochistan and in the absence of any genuine and sincere approach by the state if Pakistan to resolve the issue of Baloch alienation, the situation in likely to aggravate further in the days to come.

Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not reflect Milli Chronicle’s point-of-view.

These questions are not niceties. They are tests of Pakistan’s credibility, and the answers will shape the future of U.S. engagement in South Asia.

As you read this, Pakistan’s Army Chief and Prime Minister are seated across from President Donald Trump in Washington, facing what may be the most consequential conversation of their careers. The room is heavy with subtext. Outside, aides shuffle papers and reporters speculate. Inside, the stakes are personal, political, and global.

This isn’t just another diplomatic handshake. It’s a reckoning.

Pakistan arrives at this meeting bruised and brittle. Just months ago, the May 2025 India-Pakistan crisis brought South Asia to the edge of nuclear war. Missile strikes, retaliatory air raids, and four days of high-stakes brinkmanship left the region shaken.

Now, with Pakistan’s economy teetering, its military entangled in governance, and its strategic loyalties drifting toward Beijing, the United States must ask hard questions — not tomorrow, not next week, but during the meeting.

President Trump, known for his blunt diplomacy, has a rare opportunity to demand clarity and accountability. These questions are not niceties. They are tests of Pakistan’s credibility, and the answers will shape the future of U.S. engagement in South Asia.

First – Will Pakistan End Enforced Disappearances and Deliver Justice?

Thousands of Pakistanis — journalists, activists, students — have vanished without trial. Many are believed to be held by state agencies, especially in Balochistan. Amnesty International has documented over 2,300 cases. UN experts in April 2025 called the practice “unrelenting” and a serious breach of international law.

If the U.S. is serious about human rights, it must demand a timeline for releasing detainees and prosecuting those responsible. Continued aid without accountability only deepens impunity.

Second – How Will Pakistan Prevent Civilian Casualties in Military Operations?

Just weeks ago, Pakistan’s military launched airstrikes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa using Chinese J-17 jets, killing 30 civilians in their sleep. These are not isolated incidents. They reflect a troubling pattern of disregard for civilian life in counterterrorism operations.

President Trump must press for independent oversight and demand transparency in targeting protocols. Counterterrorism cannot be a license for indiscriminate violence.

Third – What Is Pakistan’s Plan to Escape China’s Debt Trap?

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has ballooned into a $9.5 billion liability. Power projects alone account for $7.5 billion. A January 2025 analysis warned of geopolitical strings attached, as Chinese loans deepen fiscal instability without delivering promised growth.

Washington must ask: What safeguards is Pakistan implementing to avoid becoming a client state of Beijing? Is there a plan for debt restructuring or diversified partnerships? The answers will reveal whether Islamabad remains sovereign or slides deeper into dependency.

Fourth – Will Pakistan Sever Ties with Anti-India Jihadist Networks?

Despite official denials, Pakistan’s military continues to be linked with jihadist groups targeting India. Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and the United Jihad Council operate with impunity, often under the guise of charitable or religious organizations.

A June 2025 MEMRI report exposed direct ties between these networks and military actors.

The recent Pahalgam attack, which triggered the May crisis, was traced to operatives with known links to Pakistan-based groups. Trump must demand concrete actions — asset freezes, prosecutions, and intelligence cooperation — to dismantle these networks. The era of strategic ambiguity must end.

Fifth – How Is Pakistan Cracking Down on Terror Financing via Hawala Networks?

Pakistan’s jihadi infrastructure is sustained by informal financial systems, particularly hawala networks. These unregulated channels allow billions to flow to militant groups, bypassing formal banking oversight.

A May 2025 investigation revealed a “complex web” of financial flows sustaining terrorism. Even Pakistan’s own National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) admits the scale of the problem.

The U.S. must insist on enhanced financial intelligence capabilities, international cooperation, and stricter enforcement of anti-money laundering laws. Executive Order 13224 must be more than a symbolic gesture.

Sixth – Will Pakistan Reform Its Blasphemy Laws to Protect Free Speech and Minorities?

Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, hardened under General Zia-ul-Haq, are routinely weaponized against minorities, journalists, and dissenters. These laws have led to mob violence, extrajudicial killings, and widespread fear.

Human Rights Watch’s June 2025 report highlights their use in land grabs and personal vendettas. A July 2025 UN statement condemned the “widespread impunity” surrounding these laws.

With Pakistan ranking 125th globally in press freedom, Trump must push for legal reforms that protect speech and prevent religious vigilantism. Free expression is not a Western luxury — it is a universal right.

Seventh – Why Is Dr. Shakil Afridi Still in Solitary Confinement?

Dr. Shakil Afridi, the physician who helped the CIA locate Osama bin Laden, has spent nearly 14 years in solitary confinement. His continued detention is a betrayal of a man who risked everything to assist the United States.

A March 2025 State Department report and his son’s public plea underscore the urgency of his release.

Trump must make Afridi’s freedom a condition of continued engagement. Loyalty must be rewarded — not punished.

A Moment of Reckoning

Pakistan’s leadership has long relied on strategic deflection to maintain its position on the global stage. But the world has changed. With economic collapse looming, military overreach growing, and regional tensions escalating, Islamabad must choose: reform or isolation.

President Trump has a unique opportunity to demand clarity, accountability, and action. These questions are not diplomatic formalities — they are leverage points for a Pakistan that aligns with U.S. interests or risks marginalization.

India, too, must remain vigilant. The convergence of Pakistani and Bangladeshi leadership under the shadow of American strategic interests signals a new phase in regional politics. For New Delhi, this is a moment to assert its own narrative and defend its sovereignty with clarity and conviction.

The time for soft engagement is over. The time for hard questions is now — and they’re being asked as we speak.

Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not reflect Milli Chronicle’s point-of-view.