QUETTA: A sharp reduction in financing for anti-state militant groups ( Fitna-al-Hindustan )has led to a surge in petty and violent crimes against local populations across Balochistan, according to local officials and security analysts.
Security officials report that sustained intelligence-based operations (IBOs) and the strategic use of drone technology by the Pakistan Army have severely crippled the funding pipelines of insurgent groups, including Fitna-ul-Hindustan (Balochistan Liberation Army) BLA. This financial pressure has broken the back of these organizations, forcing their remnants to flee and operate from mountainous hideouts.
“The intelligence-based operations of the Pakistan Army have broken the back of Fitna-ul-Hindustan and saved Balochistan from a major disaster,” said Salma Khan, a security analyst.
With their traditional funding sources severed, these weakened insurgent groups are now desperately seeking new means of financial sustenance. Recent reports from various districts indicate a troubling shift towards preying on the local populace.
Crimes Against Locals Rise
Residents and traders have reported a rise in incidents where armed men loot shops after dark, rob people at gunpoint, and steal livestock, including cows and goats, which are then taken to the mountains. In a recent incident in Khuzdar, a local trader was abducted by militants for extortion.
The growing desperation among the insurgents has manifested in attempts to steal public property and even break into local homes to take goods.
Authorities Urge Public Vigilance
In response to the escalating crime wave, local law enforcement and police have issued advisories, informing the public about the increasing threats of bribery, robberies, and extortion. Citizens are being asked to remain vigilant about their surroundings and take extra care to secure their properties and livestock.
Also read; Baloch hails Pak Army for weakening ‘Fitna Al Hindustan’
“The local population has also rejected them,” added Salma Khan, noting that the insurgents’ loss of popular support and funding has cornered them into criminality.
