QUETTA: Renowned analyst, author, and social activist Ashir Azeem has stated that the recent events in Balochistan cannot be described as a democratic movement or a struggle for freedom of expression.
According to him, it appears to be a sponsored campaign aimed at asserting a country’s ideological dominance in the region by force.
He referenced a comment made by an Indian analyst during a trade dispute between India and the U.S., saying: “You cannot light your own lamp by blowing out others’ candles.” Azeem emphasized that genuine progress cannot be achieved through extremist ideologies.
He pointed out that Surab is a small town, and if 20–25 armed individuals storm in, the local police—who lack the training for such confrontations—cannot be expected to instantly respond with lethal force.
It’s unfair, he said, to portray the situation as a complete breakdown of law and order. Even in small towns in Europe, such surprise attacks could cause temporary disruption, but that doesn’t mean the entire system has failed.
Azeem further stressed the importance of countering dominant narratives. He noted that if only one viewpoint is promoted and heard by a hundred people, all of them may believe it—unless an alternate narrative is provided.
اب یہ واضح ہو گیا ہے کہ بلوچستان میں کوئی اندرونی تحریک نہیں ہے، یہ بھارت اسپانسرڈ تحریک ہے، بھارت خطے میں ہندو بالادستی قائم کرنا چاہتا ہے، لیکن دوسروں کے چراغ بجھا کر کوئی اپنے چراغ روشن نہیں کر سکتا، عاشر عظیم pic.twitter.com/oiY97GGjw2
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He cited how, during the Taliban’s control of Swat, they ran around a thousand radio stations until the military took them down. He stressed that the real battle is one of narratives—soft power must be used effectively.
Ashir Azeem offered an example, explaining that Hollywood is considered part of U.S. defense strategy. If the U.S. plans to attack Libya in ten years, American films will start portraying Libyan-like characters as villains from today.
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This way, by the time an actual attack occurs, the global audience is mentally prepared to see it as justified. He concluded by asserting the need to win the narrative war before any physical conflict takes place.
