Pakistan Stock Exchange comes under attack

Four people were killed after gunmen stormed the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) compound in the southern city of Karachi in an attack claimed by ethnic Baloch separatists that has set off an international row after Pakistan blamed India for supporting the attackers.

Daily Current Affairs Quiz 2020

Key-Points

The Balochistan region is divided almost evenly between Pakistan (where it’s called Balochistan) and Iran. A part of it lies in Afghanistan too. Politically, it comprises the Pakistani province of Balochistan, the Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchestan, and the southern areas of Afghanistan.

Formerly under British rule, Balochistan was declared independent on August 11, 1947 and it formed a parliament. But Pakistan illegally occupied (because people were never asked what they wanted) it on March 27, 1948.

The land holds significant reserves of gas, gold, copper, oil and uranium, but is mostly untapped by Iran. The Pakistani area continues to be poor too, because the country is accused of allegedly siphoning the area’s resources away from its people and towards Punjab.

Pakistan is accused of systematically repressing and marginalising Balochs. It’s said that over 1,40,000 have been displaced since 2004-2005. Balochs are denied jobs and even basic facilities like water and electricity.