“The Manipulative Tactics of BMOs: Exploiting the Youth for a Lost Cause”
In the windswept plains of Balochistan, holding huge potential for progress and development, some anarchist and disruptive elements have been trying to hijack the genuine and progressive aspirations of the Baloch people. These terrorists, working at the behest of foreign agencies, employ different tactics to attack state entities and to recruit and lure young people to join their maliciously aimed struggle. Earlier relying on hardcore tactics, these dissidents have now shifted their focus towards soft tactics for attracting young vulnerable minds towards their anti-state agenda.
The tactics employed by these terrorist groups revolve around one basic strategy i.e., While remaining on the fringes of the system, bring the system down by exploiting its vulnerabilities. Using different mediums like social media, literature, community meetings, and student organizations, these terrorist groups have been employing various tactics to lure young minds into their deadly traps. Some of these tactics include ideological indoctrination, manipulation of humanitarian concerns, and false assurances of a better future. They use these tactics to distort the perceptions of these young ambitious people, steering them towards a path of militancy which mostly leads them toward a tragic end.
“Baloch militant organizations use tactics like ideological indoctrination, manipulation of humanitarian concerns, and false assurances of a better future to distort the perceptions of young ambitious people, steering them towards a path of militancy that mostly leads them toward a tragic end.”
Ignoring the efforts and initiatives being undertaken by the government of Pakistan to improve the region’s infrastructure and economic prospects, these terrorist groups manipulate young minds by using their grievances as a recruitment tool. They not only indoctrinate people with their malicious agenda, but they also go to the extent of harming and damaging development projects like CPEC, which solely aim to generate revenue and progress for the province. Instead of working hard for the betterment of the people of Balochistan, such harmful attacks by these militants clearly show their venomous intention of undermining the development and progress of Balochistan.
“Instead of working hard for the betterment of the people of Balochistan, attacks on development projects by these militants clearly show their venomous intention of undermining the development and progress of Balochistan.
Alarmingly, these militant groups have also spread their tentacles in different education institutes where they glorify violence and romanticize martyrdom. The passionate young people, yearning for recognition and a sense of purpose, fall prey to the deceitful allure of these terrorists who misdirect their energies towards violence and destruction. The most heartbreaking aspect of this grim reality of Baloch militants is the tragic fate that awaits these young people who are entrapped by these militants. Lured by the false promises of a better future, they often meet tragic and bleak ends. Many of these individuals, manipulated by extremist and separatist agendas, are either killed in suicide attacks or confrontations with security forces. Exacerbating the situation, these militants often frame such individuals as ‘missing persons,’ to further their anti-state narrative and gain sympathy and support from the general public based on humanitarian concerns.
Take the case of Wadood Satakzai, whose sister had been desperately searching for her brother, believing him to be a ‘missing person.’ With his pictures in her hands, she was seen in numerous marches protesting for the return of her brother. However, it was eventually revealed that he had died in a confrontation with security forces during an attack that he carried out in Mach. Similarly, Kareem Jan’s family claimed that he had been abducted, while in truth, he had joined the Fidayee Suicide Bombers of the Majeed Brigade, perpetrating a major attack on Gwadar Port.
In a nutshell, the assertion by Baloch militant organizations that their struggle aims to empower Baloch people is fundamentally flawed. Their actions contradict these claims, as they primarily hinder the progress and development of Balochistan. The exploitation of our youth by these militants, in particular, represents a harrowing and devastating reality. However, the Pakistani government has been making dedicated efforts to break this cycle of violence and militancy. Through enhanced security measures, socio-economic development projects, and community engagement initiatives, the government is striving to steer the vulnerable youth of Balochistan away from the path of violence to ensure a brighter and more progressive future for Balochistan.