‘Let Pakistan collapse’: India standoff reignites old fault lines as Pashtuns, Baloch question fight

As India and Pakistan exchange fire across a tense border, one comment from a Pashtun man in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has cut through the fog of war:
“Pakistan is not our country… If this war leads to its collapse, so be it.”

His words, shared with a Pakistani journalist, aren’t just personal—they echo long-standing anger among Pakistan’s Pashtun and Baloch communities, who see the state not as a protector but as an oppressor. For many, this isn’t a national war worth defending—it’s an opportunity to break free from a system they say has exploited, suppressed, and erased them for decades.

The Baloch problem with Pakistan stretches back to 1948, when the princely state of Kalat was annexed—sparking insurgencies that continue to this day. Rich in minerals and gas, Balochistan remains Pakistan’s most resource-rich and least developed region. Nationalist groups accuse the central government of plundering its wealth while leaving locals in poverty and without political power. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has led armed resistance, citing decades of state repression, enforced disappearances, and military crackdowns.

For the Pashtuns, the betrayal has come in different form. The colonial-era Durand Line split their ethnic homeland between Pakistan and Afghanistan. In the decades since, Pashtuns in Pakistan’s tribal belt have borne the brunt of anti-terror operations—suffering mass displacement, civilian deaths, and systemic discrimination. The Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) emerged to demand justice and accountability but has faced bans, arrests, and censorship.

Both groups—marginalized, militarized, and mistrustful—see the current India-Pakistan conflict through a different lens. While the state drums up nationalism, many Pashtuns and Baloch see only an opportunity: collapse could mean a future unshackled from Islamabad’s grip.