Quetta (Balochistan), January 2: Baloch leader Mir Yar Baloch has raised concerns that China may deploy its military forces in Pakistan’s Balochistan region in the near future, warning that the rapidly strengthening partnership between Beijing and Islamabad could have serious regional consequences.
In an open letter addressed to India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and shared on social media platform X on New Year’s Day, Mir Yar Baloch described the China–Pakistan strategic alliance as alarming from the Baloch perspective. He alleged that Balochistan has faced decades of repression under Pakistani control, marked by violence and widespread human rights abuses.
“The people of Balochistan have endured state occupation, state-sponsored terrorism and severe human rights violations for nearly eight decades,” he wrote, calling for decisive action to address what he described as a long-standing injustice.
A key concern highlighted in the letter was the progress of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a major Belt and Road Initiative project that passes through Balochistan. Mir Yar Baloch claimed that the project is nearing its final stages and warned that it could lead to a direct Chinese military footprint in the region.
He said that unless Baloch resistance and defence forces are strengthened and taken seriously, a Chinese troop deployment in Balochistan could become a reality within months. According to him, any such move without the consent of the local population would have far-reaching implications.
“The presence of Chinese troops on Balochistani soil, against the will of the Baloch people, would pose a grave threat not only to Balochistan but also to the future security of India,” the letter stated.
China and Pakistan have consistently denied allegations that CPEC has any military component, maintaining that it is purely an economic and development-focused initiative. India, however, has opposed the project, arguing that it passes through Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and violates India’s sovereignty.
New Delhi has reiterated this stance on several occasions, including in Parliament, where the government has said it has formally protested against CPEC and rejected any expansion of the project or involvement of third countries.
In his letter, Mir Yar Baloch also praised India’s actions under Operation Sindoor, carried out in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. He described the strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir as a strong message against terrorism.
As of now, there has been no official response from the Indian government, or from Chinese and Pakistani authorities, to the claims made by Mir Yar Baloch.
