Balochistan Breakfast

Pathfinder Group hosted the Balochistan Breakfast Event on 23rd January 2025, at the Pakistan Pavilion during the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos. Zarrar Sehgal, Chairman of Pathfinder Group moderated the session.

Zarrar Sehgal Chairman, Pathfinder Group

Good morning everyone. I would like to welcome you all to the Balochistan Breakfast hosted by the Pathfinder Group, at the Pakistan Pavilion in Davos. We would like to welcome our Chief Guest Sarfraz Bugti, Chief Minister of Balochistan. Thank you very much for coming. We have a wonderful panel of speakers with us which includes Former Caretaker Prime Minister, Anwaar ul Haq Kakar and Adam Weinstein. We’d like to start with Tilawat. Thank you. I would like to start with Senator Anwaar ul Haq Kakar, to say a few words. He is a Former Caretaker Prime Minister and he also served in the Senate in various capacities. His views on foreign policy and, Internal Affairs are well known, he is a true intellectual. We are delighted to have you, sir.

Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar Former Caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan

It’s always a pleasure and honour to be in Davos. Pakistani community in Davos, Pathfinder Group, and Mr Ikram Sehgal are the ones who ushered me and introduced me to the World Economic Forum many years ago and from there onwards we continued with this relationship. Today, I’m again so happy, that I am sitting next to my very dear friend Sarfraz Bugti, who happens to be leading the province in a very challenging time. He is a capable individual in that part of the world where Pakistan is facing quite a peripheral challenge in real terms. When there is a crisis you look for leadership, strength, and for inspiration throughout the globe. I guess we are quite lucky to have him over here, as today, we need to say something about Balochistan.

Balochistan is a land which signifies the point when the West initiated to approach towards East and Alexander wasn’t interested in going towards the Western Hemisphere. He chose to approach Persia along with those nomadic tribes of the north which are known as Central Asia today. He hailed the whole journey when he was coming towards North India which is the part which is current day’s Pakistan and half of that is Balochistan. I was once joked about by some intellectuals, I won’t call them pseudo-intellectuals, but they were intellectuals. They said, “Oh! He’s boosting about the historical genesis of more than 12,000 years” although the Indus Civilization in itself is a bit younger than that. I repeat “Yes, we are more than 12,000 years old and the Mehrgarh Civilization was discovered by the French archaeologist in the mid-70s, and they were the people who gave the early inhabitants to Indian civilization.”

It was the Mehrgarh, and the Bolan from where we started this journey, and then many historical changes happened, many races settled there, and many languages emerged. We have a collective memory which has multiple and diversified social, religious, and political experiences. It also has been house to Buddhism, Polytheism, Hinduism, and Monotheistic, and later settlement of Islam started from Sanskrit to Arabic and then Persian. All the languages have influenced us and now we have our distinct languages, the main three are Pashto, Balochi and Brahui. So, an area which is rich in history, and natural resources, and particularly when the world is heading towards sustainable development and alternate energy, there are rare earth materials and natural resources which would probably make us one of the most important sources of the global supply chain in next two decades or so.

A country, half of that is comprised of our Province, which is rich in history, natural resources, scares and spares population we’re not that many. It is both an opportunity and a challenge. The opportunity and challenges are that, whether we choose to have the politics of identity or the politics of development or a mix of both. There are radical positions where people only want to have politics of identity and then there are people, on another extreme, who want to focus on the economic exploitation, and the development paradigm, which is the ultra-capitalist model. There has to be a balance which needs to be struck down, and all the relevant political and economic questions can be answered over there. We are Pakistan’s challenge, future, and opportunity. I’ll curtail over here what I need to speak because I’m not interested today to speak at length. Thank you so much.

Zarrar Sehgal, Moderator

Thank you very much. It’s wonderful to hear, and I want to mention here what the senator was saying, Balochistan consists of 44% of Pakistan’s land mass. It is a cultural and mineral-rich area, and y wonderful history as well. I’ll go next to Adam Weinstein, he is Deputy Director of the Middle East Program at the Quincy Center and a frequent visitor to Pakistan. He is also a former Marine, and a lawyer by training. Over to you Adam.

Adam Weinstein Research Fellow at Quincy Institute

I want to thank Pathfinder Group and the Sehgal Family. It’s an honour to share the stage with the Chief Minister and Former Care Taker Prime Minister of Pakistan. I think the point that you have made about the importance of having politics of identity and development at the same time is a very important point in the strike of balance that you can’t have exclusively one without the other. Balochistan has become synonymous with both Pakistan’s aspirations and its challenges. It is a rich province in natural resources and hosts a 760-kilometer-long coast and it’s the recipient of significant CPEC investment.

However, it also struggles with terrorism, armed separatism, insufficient human development, and shares the border with two economically isolated countries that of course are both sources of security challenges on their own. We have seen that over the last couple of years, Pakistan in general is facing a dual security threat right now from militancy in Balochistan and the renewed challenge of the TTP in KPK. Both of these have also challenged Chinese investment and Chinese workers in the country.

I come from the United States and this is not a good thing for the US either. I don’t think Pakistan should be a place where the United States and China compete, we have very similar interests in many ways and we can operate in parallel with one another. The relationships are different but both are important, and Pakistan also wants to strike a balance. Thank God, we have not returned to an era where bomb blasts were routinely occurring in major cities of Pakistan, as, we saw in the 2000s and 2010s.

Much of the violence is occurring in places like Southern KPK, and Balochistan, the TTP under Noor Wali Mehsud is shrewd enough to focus much of its violence on the police and the security forces. He is also been able to reabsorb numerous splinter groups and this puts the hard gains of the Zarb-e-Azb operation at risk of being completely reversed if we are not careful. It is a good thing that this violence is largely out of sight and out of mind for many Pakistanis in the wider world.

There is also a risk that because this is not affecting the whole country in many ways or at least not on a day-to-day basis, it will be allowed to foster into something uncontrollable. I think Pakistan and the world have to ensure that it doesn’t happen. There are some in the international community, particularly in the United States, who view this surge in terrorism as the consequence of Pakistan’s actions. I think this is a simplistic narrative, while Pakistan is realizing the true nature of the Afghan Taliban.

It is also true that Pakistan was placed in a difficult position during the 20 years of the US war in Afghanistan. It was asked to rely on the US commitment and the Afghan government’s resilience, which quickly collapsed before the US withdrawal. Historians will analyze the mutual failures of this era for years, as militancy continued to rise and fall across the border. The tragedy is that both the US and Pakistan faced similar terrorist threats but rarely coordinated their responses.

What’s important today is that Pakistan should remain stable, and terrorism should not be tolerated in Balochistan, KPK or anywhere else. I believe we have reached a point where the United States, Pakistan, and the world can collaborate more effectively, especially since U.S. troops are no longer in Afghanistan. In many ways, our interests are more aligned now than they were before.

Of course, not all sources of terrorism are homegrown and that’s particularly true in Balochistan, people need to understand Pakistan’s perspective and not dismiss Pakistan’s concerns when it comes to the meddling of other powers inside Pakistan. Former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel admitted India’s occasional role in sponsoring terrorist groups. But Pakistan holds the key to creating conditions that prevent such exploitation and can change this dynamic. There is a risk of conflating demands for civil liberties and provincial autonomy with violent separatist movements, which could inadvertently empower them. This must be avoided at all costs.

There is often a debate about what comes first, human development, economic growth, or security but the reality is that Pakistan and Balochistan have the hard task of tackling all three at once. I think that speaks to what Mr Kakar mentioned about the politics of identity and the politics of development having to happen at the same time. Connectivity is important, but it can’t replace economic reforms and the importance of growing Pakistan’s industrial base. You can have all the connectivity in the world and certainly, Balochistan is in a strategic location, but without economic reforms and political stability it’s just not going to work, so you have to have both.

I’m a strong believer that Pakistan will emerge as an economic powerhouse and increasingly important country during our lifetimes and Balochistan will be part of that. I think it was yesterday that former Finance Minister Mr Miftah Ismail talked about the importance of investing in Pakistan’s people including Balochistan and the returns on investment will take 20 years. I think it was important that he was realistic about the time it takes to make real change.

In closing, I want to share something about another country that demonstrates the power of 20 years and hopefully will end on a positive note. In 1999, Gerald Segal, then director of studies at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), wrote an essay on foreign affairs that was taken quite seriously and it was entitled “Does China Matter?” I’ll share some of the quotes from that essay. He wrote, “Only when we finally understand how little China matters, will we be able to craft a sensible policy toward it?”

He further added, “It is a medium-rank military power and it exerts no political pull at all.” China matters most to the West because it can make mischief either by threatening its neighbours or assisting anti-western forces. Further, afield regarding China’s economic potential he wrote, “Western companies were bamboozled into believing that staying for the long haul meant eventually making money in China” and he closed with “Bereft of friends, China is a beacon to no one and an ally to no one” and this was written in 1999. If you write that today, you couldn’t possibly get it placed in foreign affairs. I hear many of these similar statements that you could almost replace China with Pakistan and the same thing people will say today that will be taken seriously. But the absolute inaccuracy in these statements about China demonstrates the power of 20 years if the right decisions are made and I hope that in 20 years we will be saying the same thing about Pakistan. Thank you.

Zarrar Sehgal, Moderator

Thank you, Adam, for the notes of optimism. It is much needed sometimes in darkness. Now, I would like to invite our chief guest, the Chief Minister of Balochistan, Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti from the esteemed Bugti family, he also served as a Senator and showed his presence in various committees. Thank you, sir, the floor is yours.

Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti Chief Minister of Balochistan

Before I start, I must say thanks to Senator Anwaarul-Haq Kakar for sharing his kind words, he is an old friend of mine as well, and thank you, Mr Adam Weinstein, for such good views about Pakistan. Ladies and gentlemen, it is a great privilege and honour for me to be here it’s always been a dream. I thank you, Mr Ikram Sehgal, and the Pathfinder Group for inviting me here to share my views about my province, the progress we made there, and the future goals.

Pakistan as you all know is a populous country with 240 million population, most of whom are very young. Its rich human resources and potential for future growth have often been discussed at this forum. What has often been overlooked is the essential focus on the potential offered by Pakistan’s federating units. I would like to draw your attention to Balochistan.

Since I assumed the role of chief minister, I have prioritized my people’s social and economic development. I firmly believe that there is a significant scope for progress in Balochistan’s economic development, a win-win future for both the people of the province and Pakistan. Beyond building local and international partnerships, which remain vital to our success, we have a strong case for your interest and investment in our province. Today, I wish to elaborate on this.

Ladies and gentlemen, Balochistan is a land of unparalleled opportunities. Covering 44% of Pakistan’s landmass, it is blessed with abundant natural resources, a strategic location, and immense untapped potential. Connectivity is the key to Balochistan’s future. As Pakistan’s gateway to regional and global trade, our province boasts a 770-kilometre coastline, including Gwadar Port. Positioned at the crossroads of Central Asia and the Middle East, it plays a crucial role in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Gwadar has the potential to become a hub of commerce, logistics, and industrial activity. The untapped potential of Balochistan begins with its vast natural resources. No discussion on development is complete without recognizing its world-class deposits of copper, gold, chromite, marble, and natural gas. These resources offer immense opportunities for extraction, processing, and export. Beyond minerals, Balochistan produces high-quality apples, pomegranates, and grapes. Our livestock sector, with over 45 million animals, presents significant prospects for the organic meat, dairy, leather, and wool industries. Our coastline is rich in marine biodiversity, supporting a robust fishing industry and eco-tourism, and offering sustainable investment opportunities.

Let me assure you that my government is committed to creating a business-friendly, forward-looking environment. Our policies prioritize investment facilitation, infrastructure development, and regulatory reforms. Special Economic Zones, such as Gwadar, offer unmatched incentives, including tax holidays, duty-free machinery imports, and streamlined customs procedures. We are also enhancing connectivity through roads, railways, and energy projects, ensuring that markets are linked, communities are integrated, and prosperity is shared.

Development is not just about economic growth—it is about transforming lives. My government is deeply invested in social development, particularly in education, healthcare, and employment generation. We believe in inclusive growth, ensuring that progress benefits every corner of Balochistan. We are also empowering local communities by engaging them as stakeholders in resource management and development projects.

Our sustainable approach ensures that economic gains are shared equitably while preserving our cultural and environmental heritage.

I invite you all to join us on this journey of transformation, and Balochistan is open for business we are also eager to partner with you. We can harness the potential to create shared values for Balochistan Pakistan, and beyond whether you are interested in mining, agriculture, fisheries or urban development, the opportunities are boundless and the time is to act now. Distinguished audiences in conclusion, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Mr Ikram Sehgal and the Pathfinder group for providing this platform and to all of you for your time and attention. Balochistan stands at the cusp of a new era of development, I look forward to welcoming you to our province where we can build a future of prosperity and progress together. Thank you everyone. Pakistan Zindabad.

Zarrar Sehgal, Moderator

Thank you very much Chief Minister for your wonderful words and obviously our all good wishes are for Balochistan. We will open up for questions and later will do a word of thanks but before that, I want to thank members of our family and also the members of the Pathfinder Group for putting this event together and working hard. A big round of applause for all of you. Let’s start with the questions.

Question: My name is Amir Shoukat, Ambassador of Pakistan to Switzerland. Thank you very much Zarar, and Mr Ikram. I just wanted to make a very short comment. I have been here for three and a half years and regularly attend events organized by Mr Ikram Sehgal, I drive from Bern. This time when I received an invitation from him that there would be a breakfast for Balochistan, I was so happy. Why? When you walk along the promenade, you see many countries—not just corporations—setting up their pavilions. Several provinces from our neighbouring country have also established their own. But when I saw Balochistan’s pavilion, I thought, “Wow, this is it.” Thank you very much, Sir, for bringing Balochistan to Davos. I would also like to extend my gratitude to the Chief Minister of Balochistan, the Honorable Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti, and our former Caretaker Prime Minister, Senator Anwarul-Haq Kakar for sharing insights about Balochistan. It is a remarkable province with incredible people. Lastly, I want to highlight and appreciate the efforts of Mr. Ikram Sehgal in making this possible. Thank you very much.

Ikram Sehgal Co-Chairman, Pathfinder Group

Thank you very much. It is truly an honour to have Chief Minister Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti here. Some of you may not know that I share a special connection with him – we are both Gallians from Lawrence College, Ghora Gali. He has been a strong supporter of Ghora Gali and is widely spoken of with great respect. Before him, of course, Mr Zafarullah Khan Jamali, the former Prime Minister, also made significant contributions, particularly through donations for the development of grounds and facilities carved out of the mountains by Balochistan for Lawrence College.

Question: I am Abu Bakar, Chairman of the Pakistan Software Export Board. A lot of people know the potential of Balochistan and also know how big the quantum is. I would like you to share with the audience, what makes it different this time. And also, what are the benefits for the country and for the people of Balochistan? Thank you so much.

Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti Chief Minister of Balochistan

Thank you so much. First of all, I must thank Mr Ikram Sehgal for giving a facility of swimming pool in Lawrence College that we always miss. Because in our time there was no swimming pool and it used to be cold like Davos. Let me answer the question, what is the difference in Balochistan this time? Things are changing because of our reforms in agendas, we want a friendly environment for investors from all over the world especially, from the West or anywhere. People are coming from the Gulf and other parts of the world too. The change is that the government is now working to create a friendly environment by removing bureaucratic obstacles and eliminating the threats that have troubled our province for a long time. I assure you one thing whenever someone comes for an investment or to uncap our mineral resources or anything, we are very forthcoming and also looking forward to everyone. This time business means business, which we are focusing on and without partnering with INGOs and NGOs, we cannot develop a province with a low population and a mass land, this is only possible when every one of us joins hands and we understand this. We are also doing a public-private partnership program through which we are giving facilities to our people and for this, I welcome you all. I think the change is that we are serious this time and we want our country and especially our province to grow more. Thank you.

Question: I am Nadira Panjwani, Chairperson of KCFR and I want to ask the Chief Minister about the initiatives in human development. As Adam mentioned the 20-year factor that makes all the difference, so if, 20 years down the line we want to see a change in Balochistan we need to invest in education. What are you doing specifically in that area? Thank you.

Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti: Thank you very much. This question is very close to my heart because education is the key to change. We have introduced a big scholarship program this time in the name of a great leader, Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, and that scholarship program is from the school to the PhD level. The first type of scholarship we offer is any student from Balochistan to pursue a PhD anywhere in the world is given a fully funded scholarship. The second component of that program is for minorities, although we have a lesser number of minorities, they have been suffering for many years, so we decided to give them scholarships. 50 students each year from nursery class get 16 years of education in boarding schools like Lawrence College, Aitcheson College, and Sadiq Public School Bahawalpur – a fully funded scholarship.

Imagine for a second after 16 years probably I will be not sitting here but till then maybe 800 students of the minorities will be studying in elite schools of Pakistan which was a dream. The third component is for the transgender, none of us has ever thought about the transgender community who are also suffering in our society. This time we offered a scholarship and a skill program for transgender under this Benazir Bhutto Shaheed scholarship program. The second-to-last initiative focuses on students who achieve distinction at the matriculation level and are studying in government high schools in remote districts of the province.

Scholarships will be awarded to 10 boys and 10 girls, covering their education free of cost for 16 years of education. Whether they aspire to become doctors, lawyers, business leaders, or pursue any other field, this initiative ensures they have the opportunity to build their future from the grassroots level.

The merit of this scholarship is on the district level, so a boy from Dera Bugti must not compete with a boy from Quetta or a girl from Awaran is not competing with a girl from Khuzdar. The focus is all around. The last one is about the Shuhadaas (Martyrs), the civilian Shuhadaas are never looked after, if a person moving in a rickshaw or a bike died or got killed in a terrorist attack, who will look after their children? We decided to adopt their children until 16 years of their education, wherever and whatever they want to study.

This is our scholarship program and for the first time in the history of Balochistan we have increased 116% of our budget for education and our focus is girls’ education. You will be glad to know that I have five female Deputy Commissioners in Balochistan. Without offence to my male officers, they are doing far better than their male counterparts.

Question: I am Ahmed, a graduate of King College. My question is to both the Senator and Chief Minister. Even in my very short time of understanding Pakistani politics, I always have heard from all directions as Mr Senator mentioned that Balochistan is full of vast untapped resources and potential. What are the main challenges that we face in extracting these vast natural resources, and what is the game plan to convert them from being just untapped to a reality? How to utilize them to improve the province and provide these resources for Pakistan for development?

Senator Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar: As for this claim, I don’t believe it is mythical; rather, it is quite tangible. A volcanic eruption occurred approximately two millennia ago at Tor Zawar, starting in Nimruz Province, Afghanistan, which borders our Chagai area in Balochistan. It then extended into Sistan-Baluchistan, Iran, before reaching its tail end in Waziristan, Pakistan. This volcanic eruption gave rise to many materials that are far more valued and appreciated in the 21st century than they were two millennia ago. What do we need now? Much like in the Persian Gulf, where oil resources were exploited through partnerships with Western companies—turning crude oil into a valuable commodity—we too require global partnerships to harness these resources effectively. Copper and gold reserves exist, but comprehensive seismic surveys and other necessary studies must be conducted. Initially, it was done by Tethyan Copper Company, later acquired by Barrick Gold. Such investments are essential to fully exploit these resources.

Based on my assessment, over 20 documented deposits exist across the district, possibly even more. However, this remains a general estimate. To unlock their potential, we require scientific data, which comes from expertise and financial strength—readily available in the Western hemisphere, China, and other regions. We have pursued multiple partnerships, and I am confident there is a clear strategy in place. With the provincial mining policy now providing a legal framework, we are actively engaging the right partners, who are also showing interest. During my tenure as caretaker prime minister, the CEO of Rio Tinto, one of the world’s largest mining companies, met with me in New York. If Rio Tinto is showing interest, it signals good news for everyone. I am optimistic that, with strategic planning, within two decades, our natural resource wealth can play a role in Pakistan’s development—just as it did in Canada, Australia, and Chile—for the collective good of the people. Thank you.

Ikram Sehgal: I would like to elaborate on how I, Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar, Sarfraz Bugti and Jam Kamal met for the first time. When Jam Kamal was the Chief Minister of Balochistan, we attended a Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) meeting in Quetta. The council members were initially sceptical about Quetta and Balochistan. But after the three of them spoke, the members of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors were stunned. That period also marked the beginning of key developments in Balochistan, involving Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar playing a crucial role in bringing the then CM of Balochistan, Jam Kamal to Davos.

I would also like to share what happened after that because not many people know about it. Then, terrorism was not as rampant, and there was growing interest in Balochistan, particularly from Europe. A group of investors proposed a development corridor – a beautiful railway line between Reko Diq and Gwadar – which was a remarkable vision.

We already have a coastal highway from Gwadar to Karachi, and on the way, it has lagoons, the most beautiful in the world. These lagoons are very close to Karachi, easily accessible but largely unknown.

The coastline receives no rain for 330 days a year, making it a sun-drenched coastal area with pristine beaches. Investors from Hong Kong, eager to invest in real estate, saw an opportunity. They put together a proposal to develop three coastal towns alongside industrial zones north of the main road. Unfortunately, with a change in government, the project faced bureaucratic hurdles. I met the Railways Minister in Imran Khan’s government, and I referred this project to him. Just three days later, he was in Geneva, directing the investors to start the project, in front of me. I even received a call from the Deputy Secretary of the Railways Ministry, asking about the investment amount, despite the project still being in its pre-feasibility stage – a comprehensive study that I had already shared. Despite these challenges, I remain hopeful. When I first met both of you (Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar, and Sarfraz Bugti), along with Jam Kamal, I saw a genuine openness and willingness to drive progress. That spirit is what Balochistan needs, to unlock its true potential.

Senator Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar: I am pleased to hear what Adam had to say. As someone with a background in the marine industry and a complete understanding of the security situation and assessment, his insights are invaluable. Many people are concerned about violence, the terrorist threat, and the surge of instability, but before we allow ourselves to be frightened, we must first understand and appreciate the nature of the threat. If we fail to do this, it could lead to misguided calculations.

As a humble student, I have learned that civil unrest, civil war, and terrorism have become subspecialties within political science over the past two decades in various Western universities. Before that, they were not considered specialized areas of study. From my observation, many educated people have strong opinions on these issues but often lack the legal or academic framework to support them. For example, if I were suffering from a cardiac issue, I would never consult an ENT specialist for treatment. Similarly, we need practitioners and policymakers with the proper expertise to address security challenges.

In my understanding, there are two basic principles underlying all insurgencies or violent movements. Empirical data shows that, since World War II, 36% of non-state actors have won violent conflicts, while 38% of state actors have won. However, whether we like it or not, decisions are often made on the battlefield. As Adam pointed out, the outcome is determined on the battlefield—who wins and who loses. The notion of dialogue typically emerges only in post-conflict situations.” When we lost in 1971, we surrendered to the Indian troops, and only then dialogue began. It was decided that the 93,000 prisoners of war would be handed over in specific phases and eventually returned to Pakistan. So, whenever there are negotiations they are in the favor of a party which is perceived as the winning party.

There are two principles on which non-state actors or organizations like these survive: the principle of survivability and the principle of lethality. They are illegitimate entities, while state actors are legitimate. So, what do these non-state actors do? Since they are numerically disadvantaged, they focus on surviving over time. This is what the Tahrik-i-Taliban Afghanistan (TTA) did in response to NATO and U.S. presence in Afghanistan. They melted away in 2002.

When Adam referred to the recent collapse of the Afghan National Army, I recall a BBC journalist leading NATO troops from the north into Kabul. It almost seemed like he was avenging the first Anglo-Afghan war, as they swiftly took over Kabul, and within days, the TTA had melted away. There was no serious challenge in Afghanistan until 2004 when a new theater of war emerged in Iraq. The rest, as they say, is part of the conspiracy theory. Figures like Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who had fought in Afghanistan, recruited Afghan-trained militants. The events in Fallujah became a classic example of how a powerful military force like the U.S. could be challenged. This gave the insurgents hope and inspiration. After 2005 and 2006, they began to reemerge in the border regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

When we advocated for what we termed the “Responsible Withdrawal,” the core idea was ensuring that all military inventories, both small and large arms, were securely transferred to trustworthy entities. I don’t blame the U.S./NATO for assuming these weapons were in reliable hands, given their two-decade, $2 trillion investment in the Afghan National Army. They expected Afghan forces to defend their homeland, especially given their vocal nationalist pride—claims like being a “graveyard for empires” were commonplace. Yet, the army collapsed within 72 hours. The weapons meant to sustain them for 20 years are now flooding black markets across Afghanistan, Pakistan, and even the Middle East. Groups like Hamas or other militant organizations may now possess these arms.

The real crisis today stems from advanced technology in these weapons. For instance, thermal scopes allow militants to target soldiers with precision from three miles away. This surge in attacks is directly tied to these gadgets, a new technology-driven challenge.

Pakistan deserves greater appreciation, understanding, and global partnership to curb peripheral violence. Without this, the region risks becoming safe havens for non-state actors who will regroup and pursue ultra-radical agendas with global repercussions –from Moscow and Beijing to Western Europe and even across the Atlantic. Those who assume the Atlantic is secure should remember 9/11: complacency is dangerous. Emerging technologies, including AI, amplify these risks, turning what some dismiss as a “regional issue” into a global security challenge. Pakistan must be seen as a partner in addressing this, not through skewed narratives or conspiracy theories, but through mutual respect.

Unfortunately, distortions persist. On one side, fringe voices within Pakistan peddle conspiracies about foreign powers. On the other side, external actors seek to undermine Pakistan’s relations with the West, particularly the U.S., despite Pakistan’s historic role as a frontline state against the Soviet Union. The West’s current $36 trillion GDP owes much to that victory, yet Pakistan’s sacrifices remain underappreciated. When the Berlin Wall fell, symbolizing freedom’s triumph, Pakistan’s soldiers deserved to stand beside their American counterparts—having paid in blood and treasure to contain the “Evil Empire.” We fought alongside monotheistic capitalist allies as partners, not zealots. Recognition of this role is not about seeking rewards but about acknowledgement.

Today, Pakistan is unfairly portrayed as a negative force in the region. In reality, it must be part of the solution. While some thrive on hyping tensions or predicting “another 1971” (the fall of Dhaka), Pakistan’s future lies in bridging civilizations’ divides. Islamabad could serve as a gateway for Washington to Beijing, fostering peace and coexistence between the West and China. Our incentive lies in reconciliation, not conflict. Let us champion models where cooperation creates opportunities for all, rather than perpetuating divisions.

Adam Weinstein: The Afghan Taliban released hundreds of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters from prisons. When Noor Wali Mehsud pledged allegiance (Bayan) to the Taliban’s leader, they implicitly accepted it – confirming their collusion. This alliance remains a critical concern.

I also agree that Pakistan receives insufficient empathy from the international community. Take the 2011 Salala incident: if roles were reversed, the U.S. would have reacted explosively. As a former Marine, the Afghanistan War was personal to me. For most Americans, it was distant; but for Pakistanis, the 2008 Marriott bombing shook Islamabad like an earthquake. No Pakistani, regardless of class, escaped the war’s fallout—a reality Americans never experienced. Empathy is warranted, yet Pakistan rarely receives it. As an individual, I offer that understanding. However, regarding the violence Pakistan faces today, like the attacks in Dera Ismail Khan (DI Khan), the truth is: that Pakistan is largely on its own. If you ask Washington or Europe for partnership, they’ll respond, “Where is DI Khan?” The international community lacks the motivation to act.

While Pakistan deserves support, I doubt it will materialize meaningfully. There may be technical cooperation or intelligence-sharing, but this fight will ultimately fall to Pakistan alone. That’s the unfortunate reality. When we compare Afghanistan and Pakistan, there is not a single threat that Pakistan faces that could truly challenge the writ of the state at an existential level. In the case of Afghanistan, there was a legitimacy vacuum. The Taliban were able to fill that vacuum without actually working to gain legitimacy among the Afghan people.

It’s not as if the Taliban have legitimacy among the Afghan people; rather, the former government lacked legitimacy, and the Taliban were able to wait it out and take advantage of that situation.That’s not the case for the threats you face. I don’t think the BLA or the TTP truly have any legitimacy or can replace the writ of the state. They can disrupt you, but unfortunately, sometimes that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Pakistan has become so fixated on the security threat that it defines the national narrative. The international community reflects that narrative onto you. However, these aren’t necessarily the best comparisons. Other countries in the world have faced significant security threats with casualty figures similar to, if not higher than, Pakistan’s. Mexico, Colombia, and Sri Lanka have nevertheless achieved economic stability and even political growth despite those challenges. Mexico, for instance, still faces what could be considered an insurgency, yet it is seen as a success story with a thriving tourism sector, even though it might be more dangerous for tourists in Mexico than in Pakistan.

I think Pakistan should avoid falling into the trap of the self-fulfilling prophecy that fixates on the narrative of insecurity, believing that without security, it can’t achieve any of its other objectives. The idea that security must come first is not entirely correct. All of these goals must happen simultaneously and then in tandem with each other.

Ikram Sehgal: I am shifting the discussion from war to education, building on what you mentioned earlier. At Lawrence College, several head boys have come from Balochistan. Similarly, in cadet colleges like Jajja and Hassan Abdal, some of the top students have been from Balochistan. Wherever Baloch students have gone, they have excelled because they had the incentive to achieve.

One of the key points you mentioned, Chief Minister, was the need to focus on education – from the primary level to university. The best approach would be to establish more high-quality universities within Balochistan. The government of Balochistan has already made great progress by introducing PhD programs and other initiatives. Education is a fundamental necessity for all, and I am sure the Chairman of the Software Export Board, as an IT expert, could highlight the promising startups emerging from Balochistan. One of our commercial interests is supporting IT startups from the region. This presents a tremendous opportunity, and we must fully utilize the existing human and material resources to their maximum potential.

Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti: I want to assure the people of Pakistan, especially those present here, that despite the surge in activities and the advanced equipment, such as thermal imagers, mentioned by Mr Kakar, neither the BLA nor other militant groups like the TTP in Balochistan, can hold even an inch of our land for more than an hour.

Despite all this, education no doubt, is the key and we are working very hard on this. Not only on scholarship programs that have we developed, but other programs for human development as well, which earlier I forgot to mention. We are training 30,000 young boys and girls and we will export this skilled labour to Gulf and Europe. The first batch is going later this month, with 628 girls and boys, who have completed their training. They will earn there and transfer remittances to their families in Pakistan.

So, the focus is on the youth, because we have very vibrant youth. We are having dialogues with them because there is some misunderstanding or disintegration between the state and the youth of Balochistan. I think the sub-narrative challenge and the subversion challenges are bigger than the challenge of dealing with violence.

Senator Anwaar ul Haq Kakar: I have never seen a single shred of evidence where the United States of America, or either the United Kingdom or the European Union has been involved at the state level in any sabotage activity as far as Balochistan is concerned. It is only India, our eastern neighbour, who is involved and for understandable reasons.

So, some of our analysts, due to anti-western rhetoric, and also for other multiple reasons, try to link this insurgency or violence to those major powers. That is unfortunately not true, or fortunately not true. We should avoid that, particularly when we are speaking at a serious level, regarding important areas, where the narratives are being shaped.

We have got hardcore evidence of India being involved in this. They have a past with us and we have a checkered past with them, so that is understandable. Why the United Kingdom, the US, Canada, or Mexico, would have an interest in the piece of land 10,000 miles away from them? People would be arguing that, Oh! They want to contain China.

I would ask, why they’re not containing China in Latin America. Why are they not containing China through violence in any other part of the world? Why are they so interested in our hometown only? To be honest, it doesn’t make any sense to me. Thank you.