ON 12 June 2025, the Washington-based Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), founded by a former Israeli intelligence officer Yigal Carmon and Meyrav Wurmser, launched its “Balochistan Studies Project” and appointed Mir Yar Baloch as a “Special Advisor.”
While presented as an academic initiative, this project is widely seen as a calculated effort to destabilize Pakistan under the guise of scholarly research. The initiative reportedly involves Indian funding and Israeli backing—another chapter in the ongoing hybrid warfare against Pakistan.
India’s role in fomenting unrest in Balochistan is well documented. From backing the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) to direct involvement of its intelligence agency RAW, India has pursued a long-term agenda to fracture Pakistan from within. The arrest and confession of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav offered undeniable proof of this covert aggression. Now, by using academic platforms like MEMRI, India attempts to whitewash its interference in Balochistan under the label of research and collaboration.
Israel’s involvement in this initiative is not accidental. With a history of oppressive tactics in Palestine and a highly developed propaganda apparatus, Israel has long relied on media and information warfare to justify its actions. In collaboration with India, it now seeks to undermine Pakistan’s internal stability and strategic projects like CPEC by encouraging separatist narratives in Balochistan. Disguised as objective research, these efforts deliberately ignore the region’s development and the aspirations of its people.
The appointment of Mir Yar Baloch as MEMRI’s advisor raises serious concerns. Known for openly supporting the BLA and echoing pro-India sentiments, he is viewed by many in Pakistan as either a digital puppet or a foreign-sponsored voice. His statements during national tragedies and advocacy of separatism are classic tactics of psychological warfare—designed to amplify fringe voices and portray Pakistan as a fractured and failing state. The MEMRI project highlights how modern think tanks can be repurposed into tools of geopolitical subversion. Rather than promoting peace, MEMRI appears to exploit ethnic grievances for strategic objectives. Their so-called studies ignore local democratic progress, government outreach, and socio-economic initiatives in Balochistan—focusing instead on spreading doubt and division to delegitimize Pakistan on global stage.
This is a textbook case of fifth-generation warfare. The conflict now transcends physical battlegrounds and penetrates cognitive spaces—through social media, biased reports, and manipulated narratives. To counter this, Pakistan must expose these campaigns internationally, strengthen its cyber defenses, and build local trust through inclusive development and clear communication.
Efforts to destabilize Balochistan through Indo-Israeli partnerships and fronts like MEMRI will ultimately fail. The people of Balochistan have consistently rejected foreign agendas and affirmed their commitment to the Pakistani federation. As the hybrid war intensifies, Pakistan’s best defense remains its national unity, public awareness, and unwavering resolve to protect its sovereignty.
—The writer is an alumnus of QAU, MPhil scholar and a freelance columnist, based in Islamabad.
(fa7263125@gmail.com)
