Growing unrest in Balochistan
Dr Raja Muhammad Khan
Monday, July 16, 2012 - Since last few months, there has been an unusual increase in the killing of innocent people in the province of Balochistan. Apart from missing persons, there has been killing of Hazara community in Quetta city and surrounding areas. Pilgrims going to or coming back from sacred shrines in Iran have been the most frequent targets. In most of the cases, people are being abducted and then after few days their bullet ridden and at times disfigured bodies are found at various locations. Unfortunately, no one has ever tried to reach out the elements behind all this massacre and restlessness.
More recently, on July 6, 2012, seven miners, kidnapped by unknown people from Dagar and Marwar areas were found dead. It is pertinent to mention that these miners were working for a private coalmine company in Marwar called United Mineral Company. A doctor named Ishaq was also among those killed. Balochistan Liberation Army, a separatist and anti-state group has claimed responsibility of the incident. All these miners were Pathan and belonged to Sw t area of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa. A close observation of the pattern of killings in the province since 2003 would reveal that, particular groups and communities are being targeted. This mainly includes; those inhabited the province over the years, not the natives. Since Hazaras are also part of migrants, thus are being targeted. Over the years, settlers from any other part of the country are being killed. Most of these settlers were playing very significant role for the development of the province and the local masses. Those being targeted include; teachers at all level, doctors, industrialists, technical work force and others contributing towards the uplift of the province.
The recent killing of the miners is indeed part of the same strategy. This process is deliberate and well planned, rather being incidental or occasional. The militant organizations like BLA are indeed openly carrying out this massacre and provincial Government with countless number of ministers apparently seems helpless or——to tackle it. Should not the Federal Government ask the Provincial Government of Balochistan Province about this lawlessness in the province? Who is after all responsible for the maintenance of law and order in the province? Is it the FC, police or some other agency responsible for the maintenance of law and order in the province? Whereas, Chief Minister of Balochistan mostly remains in the Federal Capital and occasionally visits Quetta. Nevertheless, his ministers live in Karachi or Quetta, but never find time to visit their constituencies or the disturbed areas of the province to at least listen to the grievance of the masses. Billion of rupees, allotted for the development of the province either by Federal Government or through the provincial budget, are further allotted to the ministers and MPs of the Province are not spent for the right cause. This money goes either to these lawmakers of the province or at least not to its designated place.
Resultantly, there is no development of the province, thus the masses of the province remain the ultimate sufferers. This situation of being desperate and restiveness is then fully exploited by the terrorist organizations like BLA, having a long list of supporters domestically as well as among international actors. What seems most important in the entire episode of this restlessness in the province is that, Federal Government never dared to ask provincial government for digging down the reasons of this uncertainty and anxiety among the masses and then to overcome that.
Should not the interior ministry of the Balochistan province be considered responsible for this entire chaos in the province? Have the interior minister been sacked for his failure of controlling the situation, anyhow? It is very easy to apportion blame on Frontier Corps Balochistan (FC Balochistan) for all wrong doings, but the question arise, whose primary responsibility is to maintain the law and order in the province. The corps of ministers and entire provincial machinery that include; police, levy and other divisional and district administrations are for what purpose. Just for the protocol and ceremonial duties for each other and eat away the provincial budget or have some utility too.
Whereas FC denies its involvement in the case of missing persons, should it allow terrorists to attack its troops and installations? After all FC, troops should retaliate to the attackers and arrest those attacking them and Government instalments. Should not they protect the national borders, assets and themselves too? As an estimate, miscreants have attacked them more then 2000 times, killing hundreds of soldiers and officers.
If not Supreme Court of Pakistan, the Federal Government should hold these people responsible for the worsening law and order situation there. In Balochistan, missing persons is a big issue that needs immediate attention and impartial investigation. Nevertheless, it is not the only reasons of the lawlessness in the province. Whereas, Government must find out, who is behind the missing persons’ mystery, It should ask CM Aslam Raisani to take control of the situation or resign. It is about time that we must care for integrity of Pakistan, rather playing politics. —The writer is an International Relations analyst.
More recently, on July 6, 2012, seven miners, kidnapped by unknown people from Dagar and Marwar areas were found dead. It is pertinent to mention that these miners were working for a private coalmine company in Marwar called United Mineral Company. A doctor named Ishaq was also among those killed. Balochistan Liberation Army, a separatist and anti-state group has claimed responsibility of the incident. All these miners were Pathan and belonged to Sw t area of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa. A close observation of the pattern of killings in the province since 2003 would reveal that, particular groups and communities are being targeted. This mainly includes; those inhabited the province over the years, not the natives. Since Hazaras are also part of migrants, thus are being targeted. Over the years, settlers from any other part of the country are being killed. Most of these settlers were playing very significant role for the development of the province and the local masses. Those being targeted include; teachers at all level, doctors, industrialists, technical work force and others contributing towards the uplift of the province.
The recent killing of the miners is indeed part of the same strategy. This process is deliberate and well planned, rather being incidental or occasional. The militant organizations like BLA are indeed openly carrying out this massacre and provincial Government with countless number of ministers apparently seems helpless or——to tackle it. Should not the Federal Government ask the Provincial Government of Balochistan Province about this lawlessness in the province? Who is after all responsible for the maintenance of law and order in the province? Is it the FC, police or some other agency responsible for the maintenance of law and order in the province? Whereas, Chief Minister of Balochistan mostly remains in the Federal Capital and occasionally visits Quetta. Nevertheless, his ministers live in Karachi or Quetta, but never find time to visit their constituencies or the disturbed areas of the province to at least listen to the grievance of the masses. Billion of rupees, allotted for the development of the province either by Federal Government or through the provincial budget, are further allotted to the ministers and MPs of the Province are not spent for the right cause. This money goes either to these lawmakers of the province or at least not to its designated place.
Resultantly, there is no development of the province, thus the masses of the province remain the ultimate sufferers. This situation of being desperate and restiveness is then fully exploited by the terrorist organizations like BLA, having a long list of supporters domestically as well as among international actors. What seems most important in the entire episode of this restlessness in the province is that, Federal Government never dared to ask provincial government for digging down the reasons of this uncertainty and anxiety among the masses and then to overcome that.
Should not the interior ministry of the Balochistan province be considered responsible for this entire chaos in the province? Have the interior minister been sacked for his failure of controlling the situation, anyhow? It is very easy to apportion blame on Frontier Corps Balochistan (FC Balochistan) for all wrong doings, but the question arise, whose primary responsibility is to maintain the law and order in the province. The corps of ministers and entire provincial machinery that include; police, levy and other divisional and district administrations are for what purpose. Just for the protocol and ceremonial duties for each other and eat away the provincial budget or have some utility too.
Whereas FC denies its involvement in the case of missing persons, should it allow terrorists to attack its troops and installations? After all FC, troops should retaliate to the attackers and arrest those attacking them and Government instalments. Should not they protect the national borders, assets and themselves too? As an estimate, miscreants have attacked them more then 2000 times, killing hundreds of soldiers and officers.
If not Supreme Court of Pakistan, the Federal Government should hold these people responsible for the worsening law and order situation there. In Balochistan, missing persons is a big issue that needs immediate attention and impartial investigation. Nevertheless, it is not the only reasons of the lawlessness in the province. Whereas, Government must find out, who is behind the missing persons’ mystery, It should ask CM Aslam Raisani to take control of the situation or resign. It is about time that we must care for integrity of Pakistan, rather playing politics. —The writer is an International Relations analyst.
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