China and Pakistan have succeeded in making Taliban to launch a crack down on Balochistan separatist groups and Uighur rebels as part of their efforts to protect China’s Belt and Road Initiative projects in Pakistan.
These separatist groups are reportedly operating from their sanctuaries in Afghanistan.
In return, the Taliban is asking for economic cooperation and humanitarian assistance from Islamabad and Beijing. They are also lobbying for sanctions to be removed.
Balochistan separatist groups are worried about the increasing number of arrests of their members in Afghan provinces of Nimroz and Kandahar by the Taliban. Taliban insurgents in Kandahar have been forcing Baloch families to vacate their houses, and are commandeering their vehicles. They believe that the arrested members would be handed over to Pakistan authorities.
“The Taliban should ensure the protection of Baloch refugees like a neighbor, instead of protecting the interests of Pakistan,” Domki who is a former Balochistan provincial minister was quoted saying in a report by the Nikkei.
Separatist groups have been attacking Chinese Belt and Road Projects in Pakistan’s largest province Balochistan as Chinese and Pakistani authorities have been plundering the resource-rich region.
After the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, there was uncertainty over whether the Islamist militant group would take action on the Baloch separatist groups harbouring in the borders of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
In February last year when the Taliban signed a deal with the U.S. after months of peace talks, the group committed to preventing militant groups from using its territory to threaten the security of other countries.
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