Pakistan: Weaponized And Forgotten – OpEd

The shadow war that is taking place in the rugged terrains of Baluchistan falls way below the radar in the broader global conflicts’ discourse. But in this tempestuous setting, women of Baluchistan face a special and truly grueling fate, trapped between the political skirmish, the militant pillage, and the institutional violence. Militant group, Baluchistan Liberation Army or BLA, which seeks independence of Pakistan, has exploited women through social, psychological and sexual abuse. It underlines the horrors of how women are weaponized in conflict zones whose body and life become a battleground for ideological war.

Women are being exploited by the BLA, not as a byproduct of the conflict, but as part of a calculated strategy towards the promotion of this cause. Blackmail and manipulation are used to coerce women to become the suicide bomber, exposing a severe victimization of women. These women from marginalized civil society are reduced to being reduced to mere instruments of terror. Psychological trauma occurs to them as they have to betray their own instincts for survival and surrender to their oppressors. The fact that people were forced to recruit, often against their will, is a grim reminder that women suffer the first violation of our bodies and the last violation of their voices in conflict.

The wider picture of this crisis also involves a long established chronicity of gender based violence in context of conflict. Long considered a hot spot for violence, Baluchistan is a province woefully rich in natural resources but poor in political stability and is mired in poverty. The BLA insurgency also further increases the desperate plight for women, who are the main victims of this conflict. This lack of access to education, healthcare and economic opportunities only makes them further vulnerable to few escape avenues. In this environment, women are not only victims of violence but also victims of the systemic neglect, their suffering is unrecognized by the narrative of geopolitical struggle.

The stereotypes of conflicts in countries of the MENAPT (Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan, and Turkey), however, do not cross borders of southern Pakistan and the region of Baluchistan. Typically, these women are stuck in a vicious cycle of violence, poverty and, oftentimes, disenfranchisement, the haunting of the stories strong enough to silence their place at the table as the mere ‘spouses of’ politicians, the convenient ‘next victim’, and for some, a convenient tool in the combatting of cultural taboos. But their strength and dauntless spirit during such adversity are a beacon of the unquenchable spirit of women who will not be silenced. 

In the MENAPT region, More to Her Story, a platform published by the Wilson Center, is a strategic and credible channel for raising awareness for the plight of women in conflict zones. The Wilson Center is one of the leading think tanks in the world and their involvement brings very valuable credibility and rigor to the conversation, which is necessary to actually drive real change. The platform boasts a monthly active users (MAU) base of 3 million and so has the reach and influence to put these issues across and mainstream. Given that it’s such a pivot to amplify the voices of women in the MENAPT region, it gives women a space to tell their story, to challenge the narratives that have been imposed on them and to make demands of those that have caused them harm.

One such platform is “More to Her Story”, and the importance of these platforms cannot be overstated. In this world where women’s voices in conflict zones tend to get erased or completely disregarded, these platforms are life lines for women in conflict zones to access a global audience who can fight for their rights and stand beside them in their struggle. “More to Her Story” sheds light that women in particular in Baluchistan are exploited and victimized and calls the international community to ask them to do something about this. It is a plea for all policy pundits, activists and ordinary folk to stand with these women and take up the cause for a time when their rights and dignity will be respected.

Following recommendation:

• All governments and international organizations must join efforts with one another in the area of establishing a legal framework that defends women in conflict zones, that makes the perpetrators of sexual violence accountable.
• Create comprehensive psychological support systems to provide healing and rebuilding capabilities of lives of women who have been exploited and abused.
• Develop economic empowerment programs that educate women, bring about their vocational training and subsequent employment opportunities, offering them less vulnerability to exploitation.
• Use platforms for ‘raising awareness of women in conflict regions’ and amplify the voices, challenge the narratives of suffering women.
• Promote international advocacy on behalf of women’s rights to pressure militant groups and governments to end exploitation of women and to respect women’s rights.
• Lead such community engagement initiatives that enable local women to actively participate in and be a part of peace building and conflict resolution and to make their voices heard in decision making processes.
• Help fund the documentation of women’s experience in conflict zones to support advocacy and policy interventions based on evidence.
• Culturally sensitive and culturally appropriate interventions should be implemented ensuring that the project does not impose external values and norms.
• Encourage solidarity with the Baluchistan and fellow conflict zones women, calling on people and groups to rise and act for their rights and dignity.

In the end, the women of Baluchistan’s shadow war are suffering things that a person cannot imagine, the lives of their bodies serve the brutal conflict. However, these are not stories of being mere victims only, but also of overcoming and courage.