Baloch human rights defender Mir Yar Baloch has written to Kaja Kallas, the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, expressing grave concern over the EU's decision to designate Pakistan as a counter-terrorism partner — despite decades of allegations linking Islamabad to proxy networks, militant support, and extremist groups. The letter, sent from Quetta on 2 June, follows the Joint Communique issued after the Eighth Pakistan-EU Strategic Dialogue held in Islamabad.

The Core Allegation

In his letter, Mir argued that the communique's identification of counter-terrorism cooperation as a key component of Pakistan-EU relations is 'highly dangerous and detached from reality', given Islamabad's alleged role in sheltering terror groups. He did not mince words: 'Designating a state as a partner against terrorism despite decades of undeniable evidence linking it to proxy policies, support for militancy, and connections with extremist networks across different regions is a contradiction that cannot be ignored,' he wrote.

Mir accused the Pakistan Army and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of nurturing, training, and supporting religious extremists, adding that Europe's current exposure to Islamic extremism and fundamentalism has its historical roots in Pakistan. He described the EU's approach as 'akin to entrusting a thief with the responsibility of eliminating theft.'

The Bin Laden Precedent

The activist invoked the case of Osama bin Laden, who was found living in Abbottabad, Pakistan — a discovery he said exposed the gap between Pakistan's official narrative and ground realities. He urged the international community to recall this episode rather than rely solely on Islamabad's 'false and one-sided narrative' when framing counter-terrorism partnerships.

This is not the first time Baloch activists and international analysts have cited the Abbottabad episode to challenge Pakistan's credibility as a counter-terrorism ally. The argument has persisted across successive US, European, and UN policy reviews, yet Islamabad has continued to receive significant security cooperation from Western governments.

GSP+ Status and Human Rights in Balochistan

Mir also raised the EU's Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) status granted to Pakistan, which is formally conditioned on respect for human rights. He called for an independent, impartial, and international investigation into what he described as gross human rights violations by Pakistani forces in Balochistan — including enforced disappearances and displacement of local communities.

He urged the EU, the United Nations, international human rights organisations, and independent observers to visit Balochistan directly. 'Let them meet the affected Baloch families. Let them hear the voices of the victims of enforced disappearances. Let them visit the areas where local populations are engaged in a peaceful struggle to protect their resources, lands, and fundamental rights of independence,' he stated.

The Broader Challenge to EU Policy

Mir's letter challenges the EU to apply consistent standards across global conflicts. He argued that if the bloc genuinely champions 'human dignity, justice, freedom, and a rules-based international order', it must extend those same principles to Balochistan. Critics of the EU-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue have long argued that trade and security incentives have overshadowed human rights conditionalities in Brussels' South Asia policy.

The EU has not publicly responded to the letter as of the time of publication. The Strategic Dialogue communique's language on counter-terrorism cooperation is likely to face renewed scrutiny from Baloch diaspora groups and human rights advocates in the coming weeks.