Recently, Noshki made national headlines due to an extremely unforeseen incident involving the cold-blooded murder of nine Punjabi laborers en route to Iran for work. The government and law enforcement agencies swiftly took action to mitigate such issues in the future by issuing SOPs advocating for the establishment of new checkpoints along the Quetta-Taftan highway and coastal highways. However, despite this response to the assassination of innocent laborers by the BLA, a severe backlash is being seen from transporters who immediately called for protests and blocked highways after the SOP was issued.
On the surface, it seems that these transporters are actually facilitating militant organizations. However, upon closer examination, it becomes apparent that the real cause behind these protests is the illegal transportation of smuggled Iranian hydrocarbons. To make additional money, these transporters sell illegal petrol and diesel to buyers in other provinces causing a massive loss to the national economy. According to estimates and intelligence reports, “533 petrol pumps, 100 corrupt officials, and 105 Iranian oil smugglers cause an annual loss of Rs 227 billion. This raises the question: how is it possible to transport fuel on passenger buses? The answer lies in the fact that these buses possess hidden compartments capable of easily carrying liters of fuel without detection.
Nevertheless, the establishment of checkpoints will curtail such illicit activities. Yet, the backlash from transporters speaks volumes about their deep-rooted involvement in criminal enterprises. It’s important to note that these transporters are backed by political stakeholders, especially from the opposition, who seek instability and political turbulence to undermine the current government’s efforts to maintain law and order.
While Home Minister Ziaullah Langove has informed the transporters that the issue could be resolved through mutual consultation, the smugglers, having already benefited from their illegal earnings, are unlikely to compromise their illicit activities and the routes they have established within Balochistan, with the help of corrupt authorities and political protection.
These political figures not only support the transporters but also provide them with the necessary logistical aid to carry out protests. Additionally, they have stakes in the illegal transportation of hydrocarbons. This means that the establishment of checkpoints will not only challenge the political narratives of these politicians but also hinder the profits they make from smuggling Iranian oil.
In short, these facts clearly illustrate why the establishment of checkpoints is not favored by the transporters and some political figures. In other words, if these parties were truly clean, they would have nothing to fear or oppose regarding the implementation of measures aimed at ensuring lawfulness and preventing criminal activities.
