Security of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Counterinsurgency in Balochistan

"In this book Khurram Siddiqui masterfully explains the evolution of the Pakistani counter-insurgency approach in Balochistan, whilst offering important insight on how the recent extension of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor through the region has impacted violence there. Crucially, the book traces the alliance formation between Islamic State, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Lashkar e Jhangvi (LeJ) and explores how these alliances have posed a threat to the security of the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative in Balochistan. This area is highly under researched and equally crucial for regional and global security. Siddiqui's firm grip on the strategies of all combatants, combined with a full account of the recent history of insurgency in the area, makes this a valuable book for those wanting to understand both the Pakistani military's response to sub-state violence as well as the security implications of CPEC."

--Professor Andrew Mumford, FRHistS, Professor of War Studies, School of Politics and International Relations, University of Nottingham, UK

"The book comprehensively examines the conflict ecosystem in Balochistan, Pakistan, and its impact on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. It explores the Pakistani Army's COIN doctrine and its effectiveness in countering insurgencies. The book also studies the convergence of ideology among militant organisations like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, the Baloch Liberation Army, and the Islamic State of Khurasan in Balochistan, posing a threat to Chinese investment in CPEC. Siddiqui's knowledge and critical analysis of the strategy of all sides in the conflict and the area's insurgency history make this book crucial in comprehending the Pakistani military's response to sub-state violence and the security implications of CPEC."

--Tahir Abbas, FAcSS, Professor Radicalisation Studies, Institute of Security and Global Affairs, Leiden University, The Hague, The Netherlands

"Khurram Shahzad Siddiqui's monograph makes an important contribution to the literature on Pakistan's approach to counterinsurgency warfare which has, to date, remained understudied. The book stands out for its sound theoretical grounding, extensive research and in-depth, context-based regional knowledge. With its empirical focus on the security of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, it has a wide cross-disciplinary appeal to anybody with a stake in Pakistani and Chinese area studies, contemporary warfare and international relations. It is essential reading for academics, practitioners and the wider reading public with an interest in these subjects."

--Bettina Renz, Professor of International Security, School of Politics and International Relations, University of Nottingham, UK

"This is a highly original study of the political and security impact of CPEC in Balochistan. The author has a forensic socioeconomic understanding of the region as well as Pakistan and China's wider security policies and interests. His appreciation of the drivers of the Baloch insurgency, and the Pakistani military's response to that conflict, is compelling and convincing. This book is a major contribution to South Asian studies; it throws much-needed light on the complex effects of one of China's most important and costly investments in the region. It will also be of significant value to scholars of terrorism and insurgencies."

--Dr. Edward Burke, Assistant Professor in War Studies, University College Dublin, Ireland

"Dr Siddiqui's work breaks new ground in examining the Pakistan military's evolving counter-insurgency response in the region. The volume is an essential resource for both considering the security threats to the implementation of CPEC and how its extension into the poverty ridden Balochistan region has impacted long-standing resistance to the Pakistan state. [...] Security of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor provides an important contribution to the understanding of the security perceptions, concerns and Pakistan state responses relating to the CPEC project. The author offers fresh insights into the latter based on interviews and close readings of official documents. The information is valuable for scholars, students and interested readers alike."

--Ian Talbot, Emeritus Professor in the History of Modern South Asia, University of Southampton, UK, in The Friday Times.