MEMRI Launches Balochistan Studies Project Highlighting Israel's Regional Strategic Interest

The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), a Washington-based think tank with strong ties to Israeli intelligence, has launched the Balochistan Studies Project (BSP), signaling Israel's growing strategic interest in the Balochistan region of Pakistan. MEMRI presents Balochistan as a key geopolitical outpost to counter Iran's nuclear ambitions and Pakistan's regional influence, highlighting the area's rich natural resources and strategic ports. Critics, including Palestinian researcher Abdulla Moaswes, warn that the BSP represents an attempt by Israel, in alliance with India, to co-opt the Baloch separatist movement for broader regional destabilization against Iran and Pakistan. This alliance reportedly aims to manipulate ethnic tensions and fuel insurgency under the guise of academic research, with MEMRI accused of selective translations and pro-Israel narratives. The involvement of Mir Yar Baloch, a controversial Baloch leader supportive of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, further underscores the political dimensions of this project. These developments have raised alarms about foreign interference in Balochistan's internal affairs and the implications for regional stability.