The atrocities, brutality, and harassment of ordinary people committed by the Arbakis militias of the former republican regime have not been forgotten by any Afghan. When they were in power, they showed no mercy to the people and targeted civilians for their personal interests. Now that they have once again been organized and armed in certain areas of Balochistan, this represents a new phase of the same old violence and misconduct, this time directed against the local population of the host region as well.
This time, these armed elements have gathered under the protection of individuals who, out of sympathy with the ISI, harbor deep hostility toward the Afghan people and the current governing system. The Arbakis, who until recently portrayed themselves as enemies of the military establishment through hollow slogans, are now, with the direct support of the Pakistani military regime and its intelligence network, attempting to turn Balochistan into a base for anti-Afghanistan activities and efforts to create instability inside Afghanistan.
The public sit-in protest in Balochistan and the closure of the Quetta-Chaman highway demonstrate that these Arbakis have also begun oppressing innocent people there with the backing of pro-military-regime leaders. Protesters openly claim that these unidentified armed men have harmed their women and children and assaulted them with rifle butts. Such public testimony clearly indicates that the harsh and violent nature of these elements has become evident to the local population as well.
The sole objective behind arming these proxy groups, as well as providing space for ISIS in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is the military regime’s fear of the Afghan people’s achievements and stability. However, rather than achieving any success, these armed and unidentified individuals face only expulsion by local communities and disgrace similar to what they experienced in the past, and they will remain permanently discredited before their patrons.
This is because Afghanistan’s current government closely monitors every move made by its adversaries and, with the support of the people, is fully prepared to thwart any attack. The precise and forceful strikes carried out against the centers of these elements in recent days, along with the firm threats by local protesters in Balochistan to continue blocking roads against them, demonstrate that the lifespan of these criminals’ oppression and sedition will be very short.