Even as the hijacking of Jaffar Express by Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has brought the issue of Balochistan’s illegal occupation and suppression of the Baloch community by Pakistan state and its army, there is another community also that needs immediate attention.

There is a stark similarity between the way Pakistan as a state has subjugated the Baloch people and the way Turkey has suppressed Kurds who have raised the legitimate demand for Kurdistan. No wonder Pakistan and Turkey display bonhomie and back each other.

It may be recalled that Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had made headlines recently with provocative statements directed at India, reinforcing his self-image as a global leader for all Muslim communities. During his two-day visit to Islamabad in February, he expressed support for Pakistan on various international matters, including the Kashmir issue. Demonstrating solidarity with the Kashmiri people, he called for a UN dialogue aimed at the ‘resolution’ of the ‘conflict’, prompting a strong protest from the Indian government, which deemed his remarks “objectionable" and “unacceptable".

This was not the first time President Erdogan has targeted India rhetorically by invoking the Kashmir issue, nor the first instance of India retaliating against Turkey’s actions. Particularly after India’s revocation of Article 370, which granted special autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir, and the bifurcation of the state into two union territories on August 5, 2019, Erdogan has consistently raised the matter at the UN General Assembly, framing it as a ‘dispute’ between India and Pakistan and calling for its ‘resolution’ under the UN framework in line with the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

Despite India’s repeated........

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