Islamabad Telegraph Report
ISLAMABAD: Created allegedly by by Soviet Union and India and banned by Pakistan , the Great Britain and the United States of America, Baluchistan Liberation Army, a terrorist organization, unleashed attack on Pakistan Stock Exchange in Karachi, killing three security guards and a police man.
It was third time BLA had stricken in Pakistan which was repulsed by well trained and fearless personals of Karachi police personals of law enforcement agencies.
The BLA is getting continuous support from India and elements in Iran and Afghanistan. Although Pakistan has broken terrorist network in Baluchistan province, how ever, sources said, terrorist network in Iran’s ‘Chabahar’ is still providing financial assistance and terrorist training to Baloch terrorists.
Apart from that, ‘media arm’ of Baluchistan Liberation Army, is continuously getting Asylum in Europe despite evidence of links to terror fundraising and advocacy.
Well informed Pakistani officials, foreign policy and defense experts believe BLA is dancing to the tunes of foreign countries including India only because they can’t digest ‘China Pakistan Economic Corridor’ making progress steadily.
Hours after the attack in Karachi, Intelligence agencies briefed Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan about the attack. According to sources, Prime Minister Imran Khan was provided with irrefutable evidence of BLA’s link to India.
Following Day, Prime Minister Imran Khan told parliament on Tuesday that he believed India was behind attack on the stock exchange building in Karachi.
“I have no doubt that India is behind the attack,” Khan told Pakistan’s parliament.
Sources told this correspondent that a month and half ago, officials of intelligence agencies had briefed Prime Minister Imran Khan and his cabinet there would be attacks in Pakistan by the BLA. Prime Minister Imran Khan revealed this during his
speech in the parliament on Tuesday June 30, 2020.
“My cabinet and I knew about such attacks. I had informed my minister. All our agencies were on high alert,” Imran Khan told legislators.
While India has denied any involvement in the attack. However, Pakistan’s intelligence agencies have already shared proofs of Indian involvement in Baluchistan.
“Kalbhushan Jadev is living example of how India has been involved in funding and training of Baluchistan Liberation Army,” Foreign Minister of Pakistan Shah Mahmood Qureshi told reports recently.
Kalbhushan Sudhir Jadhav, currently languishing in Pakistan army’s custody, is an Indian national. Pakistan’s intelligence agencies arrested him from Baluchistan on charges of terrorism and spying for India’s intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing.
Arrest was made was March 3, 2016 during a counter-intelligence operation in Baluchistan. The Indian government had recognized Jadhav as a former naval officer but denied any current links with him.
On 10 April 2017, Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Field General Court Martial in Pakistan. On 18 May 2017, the International Court of Justice stayed the execution pending the final judgment on the case and the case is still pending.
Attack on Pakistan Stock Exchange was condemned across the globe. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned the coward attack which killed eight people including terrorists.
In a video message Secretary General Yousef Al-Othaimeen offered support for Pakistan’s fight against terrorism and reiterated the organization’s “firm position in rejecting terrorism, extremism and violence in all forms and manifestations.”
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister confirmed that OIC has condemned the attack.
“The world knows Pakistan’s position against terrorism. We have lost thousands of innocent lives in war against terrorism,” Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the Foreign Minister of Pakistan told this correspondent over telephone.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) had launched previous attacks in Pakistan.
In 2018 its terrorists tried to attack Chinese consulate in Karachi. Attack remained unsuccessful as attackers were killed before entering the premises of Consulate. Four people. All staff inside the building were unharmed.
In 2019, the BLA attacked a five-star hotel in the port city of Gwadar in Baluchistan. One soldier of Pakistan Navy and four workers of the hotel were martyred in the attack. Security forces had killed all three attackers of BLA.
The BLA is listed as a terrorist organization by Pakistan, the UK and the US.
Intelligence reports suggests that BLA has run out of human resources as large number of Baloch youth have surrendered before Pakistan army and were employed by the government of Pakistan and security forces.
Pakistan’s civilian government and armed forces has adopted a new strategy to stop violence in Baluchistan. It announced amnesty for Baloch youth who were lured by BLA over the years. These Balochs have been sending messages to Pakistan’s armed forces that they were repenting and wanted to surrender.
More than 6000, Baloch youth have surrendered until January 2020. Alone in 2018, as many as 2000 suspected separatists surrendered to security forces in a ceremony broadcast live on local news channels across Pakistan.
According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior, around 500 Baloch youth have recently got jobs in armed forces and civilian government departments.
Pakistani authorities have appreciated them.
Documents seen by this correspondent revealed that in recent years, the government has also embarked on a strategy to address some of Baluchistan’s main grievances.
According to renewed strategy of Pakistan’s government hundreds of Baloch students have been granted scholarships by universities in Punjab. Separatist leader Nawabzada Gazain Marri returned to Pakistan after a decade in self-imposed exile, a development seen as another government success in soothing tensions.
“Returning of Baluchistan youth and surrendering arms, has broken backbone of BLA. All three attacks they carried out over last couple of years, were unsuccessful. They have run short of human resources. We must appreciate Pakistan’s counter terrorism department for devising a strategy that is finally bearing fruit,” Sohail Iqbal Bhati, Islamabad based Independent researcher and expert on Defense and Counter Terrorism.
Gratefulness and sadness seized Farrukh Khan, Managing Director of Pakistan Stock Exchange in Karachi on Monday.
The exchange compound in Karachi, Pakistan’s financial hub, had just started normal work with more than 5,000 brokers, traders and officials inside on Monday morning when four terrorists believed to be highly trained and well equipped stormed at main gate, fired at security personnel with AK-47s and grenades.
“I must praise the bravery and professionalism of security forces which saved lives of hundreds of people present inside the building,” Farukh Khan said.
Security agencies foiled the sudden attack and killed all four terrorists, police said. However, a sub inspector and three security guards deputed at the main entrance of the building lost their lives. It is reported a civilian also died.
“I am sad to know that some security personnel were martyred defending innocent lives,” Farukh Khan said.
According to local police surgeon Dr Qarar Ahmed Abbasi, seven bodies and seven injured, including at least three policemen, have been brought to the Dr. Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi.
“Hats off to the security forces and police,” Mushtaq Mehr, Inspector General of Sindh province police said over telephone from Karachi. “Their well-coordinated response foiled terrorist attack.”
Police and rangers arrived at the scene soon after the shooting exploded. They later recovered four AK-47s, hand grenades and explosive material from the terrorists’ custody.
“Food supplies were found on the bodies of the gunmen, indicating they may have planned a long siege, which law enforcement agencies quickly thwarted,” said Mohammad Rizwan, a mid-career police officer who participated in operation against the terrorists. Among the food supplies seized from terrorists’ belongings were energy biscuits.
It is still a question mark that how did the terrorists entered high security zone where most important buildings exists.
Baluchistan Liberation Army runs short of resources?
