Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Terror on the train: on Pakistan and its Balochistan province

Terror on the train: on Pakistan and its Balochistan province

Pakistan must solve Balochistan’s problems, not blame outsiders (बाहरी व्यक्ति)

The attack on the Jaffar Express, on March 11, in a mountainous region of Balochistan, is one of the most daring (साहसी, निडर) attacks by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) (a Baloch separatist group that operates primarily in Balochistan. It seeks independence for Balochistan citing historical grievances, economic exploitation, and human rights abuses by the Pakistani state) in recent times. The BLA’s move (कदम, कार्यवाही), demanding the release of Baloch militants (उग्रवादी, चरमपंथी) from jails, was met with a swift (तीव्र, शीघ्र) military response from Pakistan. According to the Pakistani authorities (अधिकारी, प्रशासन), 354 passengers were rescued (बचाव, उद्धार) after a 36-hour long stand-off (deadlock, stalemate, impasse (in a dispute/conflict)) in which 26 security personnel (कर्मचारी) and passengers and 33 rebel fighters were killed. Pakistan has accused its “eastern neighbour (पड़ोसी)” (India) and “Afghan handlers (secret agent)” of helping the Baloch separatists (अलगाववादी, संप्रदायवादी). But beneath (underneath, below, under) such allegations (आरोप, अभियोग) lie Pakistan’s growing (बढ़ता हुआ) internal security vulnerabilities (weakness, defencelessness, unprotectedness, susceptibility). The BLA, now the most powerful separatist group from the restive (अशांत, बेचैन) Balochistan province (प्रांत, क्षेत्र), has been carrying out a host of (बहुत सारे) attacks. In November 2024, it claimed (say that one owns, lay claim to) a suicide bombing at a train station in Quetta, the provincial (regional, territorial) capital, that killed at least two dozen people. It has also targeted Chinese workers in repeated attacks in the province. And with each attack, the Pakistani military has responded with heavy force. But it seems clueless on how to deter (prevent, stop, block, halt) the attacks and bring stability to the region.

While visiting Quetta after the Jaffar Express attack, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif made a rare acknowledgement (recognition, acceptance, realization) that the lack (absence, unavailability, non-existence) of development (progress, progression, advancement, improvement, growth) in Balochistan was an obstacle (hurdle, difficulty, problem, barrier, impediment, obstruction, hindrance) in eliminating terrorism. Baloch separatists have long argued that the Pakistani state, dominated by Punjabis and Sindhis, has historically ignored the Balochis. The BLA and other Baloch nationalist groups accuse the federal government of plundering (loot, rob, raid, ransack, devastate, spoil) Balochistan’s resources, and blame security agencies for the forced disappearances, torture and extra-judicial (out-of court, private, unauthorized/unwarranted (by law)) killings of Baloch civilians (non-military person, ordinary citizen) and rebels (insurgent, agitator). Pakistan’s reliance (trust, belief, faith, conviction, confidence, dependence) on military campaigns (an organized effort that seeks to influence the decision-making progress within a specific group) in Balochistan has only reinforced (strengthen, support, make stronger, give strength to, fortify, bolster, underpin, buttress) the narrative (a representation of a particular situation; portrayal/account) of the separatists — of the province being treated differently by Islamabad-Rawalpindi. Pakistan has blamed India and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (before the 2021 Taliban takeover (gaining of control, change of ownership, coup, change of leadership, seizure, occupation, capture, invasion, conquering)) for helping Baloch rebels. It also welcomed (embrace) the return of the Taliban to Kabul as a moment of Afghanistan “breaking the shackles (restrictions, restraints, constraints, straitjacket) of slavery (captivity, bondage, enslavement)”. But it was a bonhomie (friendliness, warmth, geniality/affability) that did not last (continue, carry on, go on, stay/remain, proceed, be prolonged). Today, Pakistan says Baloch separatists and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are operating from safe havens (refuge, shelter, asylum, place of safety/security) in Taliban-run Afghanistan. Together, the TTP and Baloch rebels pose (present, constitute, cause, produce, give rise to (a problem/danger)) grave (crucial/critical, important/significant, serious; terrible, awful, alarming) security challenges to Pakistan at a time when it is battling economic uncertainty (unpredictability, unreliability, riskiness/precariousness) and political instability (unreliability, changeability, abnormality). But Balochistan is a clear example that a military response alone does not bring peace and stability. If Pakistan wants to calm its restive regions, it should address (tackle, deal with, attend to, try to sort out) the political and economic problems that fuel instability and insurgency (uprising, revolt, rebellion).

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.province (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रांत, क्षेत्र
English Meaning - a part of a country that has its own government; territory, region, area, state,

2.outsider (noun)

Hindi Meaning - बाहरी व्यक्ति
English Meaning - foreigner.

3.daring (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - साहसी, निडर
English Meaning - reckless, heedless, audacious, dauntless fearless, unafraid.

4.move (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कदम, कार्यवाही
English Meaning - step, action, act, measure.

5.militant (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उग्रवादी, चरमपंथी
English Meaning - extremist, radical, fanatic, hardliner, fundamentalist, sectarian, partisan.

6.swift (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - तीव्र, शीघ्र
English Meaning - rapid, quick, speedy, fast, instant, prompt, immediate, sudden, expeditious.

7.authorities (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अधिकारी, प्रशासन
English Meaning - bureaucracy, officials, officialdom, the people in charge, the administration, the establishment, the system, corridors of power.

8.rescue (noun)

Hindi Meaning - बचाव, उद्धार
English Meaning - save from danger.

9.personnel (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कर्मचारी
English Meaning - employees, workforce, force, staff.

10.neighbour (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पड़ोसी
English Meaning - a country that is next to another country; (bordering) country.

11.separatist (noun/adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अलगाववादी, संप्रदायवादी
English Meaning - extremist, radical, rebel, insurgent, dissident, protester, nonconformist, sectarian.

12.allegation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आरोप, अभियोग
English Meaning - accusation, charge.

13.growing (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - बढ़ता हुआ
English Meaning - increasing.

14.restive (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अशांत, बेचैन
English Meaning - restless, agitated; disobedient, defiant, uncontrollable, unmanageable.

15.a host of (noun)

Hindi Meaning - बहुत सारे
English Meaning - a lot, large number, great quantity.

16.Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) (noun)

English Meaning - a Baloch separatist group that operates primarily in Balochistan. It seeks independence for Balochistan citing historical grievances, economic exploitation, and human rights abuses by the Pakistani state.

17.Baloch (noun)

English Meaning - relating to the nomadic tribes (ancestors of today’s Baloch) of central Iran and the area south of the Caspian sea into Balochistan. the Baloch/Balochis who inhabit Balochistan are a mostly Sunni Muslim people who speak an Iranian language, Balochi.

18.stand-off (noun)

English Meaning - deadlock, stalemate, impasse (in a dispute/conflict).

19.handler (noun)

English Meaning - secret agent.

20.beneath (adverb)

English Meaning - underneath, below, under.

21.lie (verb)

English Meaning - exist, be present.

22.vulnerability (noun)

English Meaning - weakness, defencelessness, unprotectedness, susceptibility.

23.separatist (adjective)

English Meaning - dissident, dissenting, nontraditional, sectarian.

24.claim (verb)

English Meaning - say that one owns, lay claim to.

25.provincial (adjective)

English Meaning - regional, territorial.

26.deter (verb)

English Meaning - prevent, stop, block, halt.

27.acknowledgement (noun)

English Meaning - recognition, acceptance, realization.

28.lack (noun)

English Meaning - absence, unavailability, non-existence.

29.development (noun)

English Meaning - progress, progression, advancement, improvement, growth.

30.obstacle (noun)

English Meaning - hurdle, difficulty, problem, barrier, impediment, obstruction, hindrance.

31.the state (noun)

English Meaning - the government; the country.

32.federalism/federal framework/system (noun)

English Meaning - a system of government in which establishments such as states or provinces share power with a national government.

33.plunder (verb)

English Meaning - loot, rob, raid, ransack, devastate, spoil.

34.extra-judicial (adjective)

English Meaning - out-of court, private, unauthorized/unwarranted (by law).

35.civilian (noun)

English Meaning - non-military person, ordinary citizen.

36.rebel (noun)

English Meaning - insurgent, agitator.

37.reliance (noun)

English Meaning - trust, belief, faith, conviction, confidence, dependence.

38.campaign (noun)

English Meaning - an organized effort that seeks to influence the decision-making progress within a specific group.

39.reinforce (verb)

English Meaning - strengthen, support, make stronger, give strength to, fortify, bolster, underpin, buttress.

40.narrative (noun)

English Meaning - a representation of a particular situation; portrayal/account.

41.takeover (noun)

English Meaning - gaining of control, change of ownership, coup, change of leadership, seizure, occupation, capture, invasion, conquering.

42.welcome (verb)

English Meaning - embrace.

43.shackles (noun)

English Meaning - restrictions, restraints, constraints, straitjacket.

44.slavery (noun)

English Meaning - captivity, bondage, enslavement.

45.bonhomie (noun)

English Meaning - friendliness, warmth, geniality/affability.

46.last (verb)

English Meaning - continue, carry on, go on, stay/remain, proceed, be prolonged.

47.Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) (noun)

English Meaning - it is the largest and deadliest militant umbrella organization in Pakistan the Pakistani Taliban. It is a subset of the Pakistani Taliban. Approximately half of all Pakistani Taliban factions coalesce (unite/join together) under the umbrella of the TTP.

48.safe haven (noun)

English Meaning - refuge, shelter, asylum, place of safety/security.

49.run (verb)

English Meaning - govern, control.

50.pose (verb)

English Meaning - present, constitute, cause, produce, give rise to (a problem/danger).

51.grave (adjective)

English Meaning - crucial/critical, important/significant, serious; terrible, awful, alarming.

52.uncertainty (noun)

English Meaning - unpredictability, unreliability, riskiness/precariousness.

53.instability (noun)

English Meaning - unreliability, changeability, abnormality.