“So what’s this narrative of Balkanisation?”
“Balkanisation is defined as fragmenting nations along ethnic lines with the objective of enhancing Israeli security right?”
“Right and this policy has been working for a while now – Iraq, Libya, Syria and now the focus is on Iran…why are you laughing?”
“There is an irony here — Balkan states in the Balkan peninsula are small states which include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia, with parts of Greece and Turkey also included. These are all members of NATO and rely for their security from actual and perceived threats on NATO’s Article 5 which stipulates that an attack on one is an attack on another and with the US now distancing itself from NATO and seeking territory from a NATO member…”
“Got it, I see the irony – but would Iran splinter do you think?”
“That’s not what I was focusing on, my focus is on our region and…”
“Well if you are referring to Kashmir then you know that India ain’t gonna let it go and is currently engaging in another age-old policy – notably to change the demographics that would enable a referendum…”
“Like Israeli policy with respect to annexation of the West Bank?”
“Hamm, yes and Kashmir?”
“OK but stay on that side of the border.”
“You mean keep Afghanistan and Iran out?”
“Let’s put it this way, this can apply to regional countries where divisions can be along ethnic, religious and sectarian lines but see I was not really referring to Israel or regional countries when I mentioned the narrative of Balkanization.”
“What then? I don’t understand.”
“Well, in our country there is a policy of Balkanisation of a political party.”
“Ooooh.”
“There was Balkanisation of the Pakistan Peoples’ Party by the dictator Zia, then there was the Balkanisation of the Muslim League-Nawaz by another dictator, Musharraf…”
“True whatever the case may be today the fact is that in early 2022 the Man Who Must Remain Nameless and Faceless had the lowest rating ever, under 20 percent, and the other national parties would have swept the polls, but elections continued to be deferred and…”
“The apple cart became upside down. I get where you are going with this! The policy of Balkanisation of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf!”
“Yes and need I add it will be successful as long as the leader is kept incommunicado and once he is out all the Balkan states will merge.”
“I reckon.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026