Balochistan: How to end militancy
WHEREAS the parliamentarians and lawmakers are busy in the accusations and counter accusations against each other in Parliament, the masses at large are solemnly concern over the rise of militancy in various parts of the country. There is a gradual rise in militancy in various parts of Pakistan.
Ever since the takeover of Taliban in Afghanistan, there have been frequent attacks from across the Pak-Afghan border on Pakistani military posts. The frequency of attacks and number of casualties in these terrorist attacks are more than what these were during the hostile government of Ashraf Ghani.
Besides these attacks, uniformed soldiers of Taliban interim government disrupted and removed the fence erected by Pakistan along Pak-Afghan border to minimize the cases of infiltration from either side.
On night 26/27 January 2022, a brutal terrorist attack on a military check post in Kech district of south-western Balochistan has killed ten soldiers including two officers.
Claimed by Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), this assault is one of the deadliest terrorist attacks on Pakistani military in recent years. BLA is an outlawed terrorist organization in the province, trained, funded and sponsored by intelligence agencies of rival states.
As per available information, the attackers were heavily armed with rocket launchers and sophisticated weapon system. They safely escaped to their hideouts after this terrorist attack on the military post.
The conduct of the attack and the sophisticated weapons used for this terrorist attack leads towards four solid conclusions; a) the attackers were very well trained, aware of diversionary tactics and surveillance system, b) attackers had local support under fear or otherwise, c) the attackers had most modern weapon system night vision gaggles which could have been provided by some developed country, and d) they had safe exit route where reinforcing military could not pursue them.
This is not the first attack, targeting the military in the province. Indeed, in last few months, there have been many such like terrorist attacks on the isolated check posts of Army and FC (Balochistan) in various parts of the Province, killing the men in uniform.
Besides, the law and order situation has deteriorated in Quetta, the capital of the province.
It is worth mentioning that, the province of Balochistan constitutes 43% of the total landmass of Pakistan.
The province has been bestowed with tremendous potentials of natural sources with high mountain barriers and a long coastal area.
The people of the province are hard worker, tough, intelligent and loyal to their motherland. Unfortunately, owing to poor development over the years, lack of education and other basic facilities and bad governance system the masses of the province felt deprived and ignored.
The deprivation of the masses became their vulnerability which was exploited by local feudal lot and external factors; the spying agencies of regional states and major powers.
Resultantly, there remained phases of instability in the province for decades now. This marvellous province of Pakistan has under gone various regional and international conspiracies.
The sub-nationalist groups have established their armed terrorist organizations like; BLA, BRA, BLF etc.
These dissidents have been attacking the local population and law enforcement agencies for furtherance of their vested ulterior motives at will. Besides, there are many religiously motivated groups who have been undertaking attacks on some vulnerable communities like Hazara community.
The frequency of the terrorist attacks remained very high from 2005 to 2010. From 2011 to 2020, there has been a gradual slow-down in the frequency of violent terrorist attacks in the province and many armed groups even surrendered to accept the writ of state.
The militancy has once again risen in the province in last over a year, reaching to a worst state in January 2022.
During these years, there has been a noticeable change in the outlook of the province, which can be attributed to the awareness among the people of Balochistan.
The masses had started rejecting those elements and their anti-state narratives, which mislead them and kept them backward for decades.
The people of the province have started realizing that their youth bulge was wrongly diverted towards those activities, which run counter to their interests and future development of their province.
The people of the province are now more vigilant and futuristic about their youth and development of their respective areas. Now they support development of their area, education for their children and civic facilities for the masses.
Nevertheless, the sub-nationalists have once again geared-up their activities and forcing the youth to be their part in their militancy and terrorism against the state of Pakistan.
The fast deteriorating security situation in the Province of Balochistan needs serious attention of all stakeholders of the state.
The federal and provincial governments cannot be absolved from their fundamental responsibilities by just blaming the foreign involvement in the province.
Whereas, there is an essential involvement of foreign elements in the rise of militancy in the province, what measures have been undertaken by the Government(s) and institutions to eliminate them over the years? Combating the BLA and other sub-nationalists may be a short term measure, there has to be a political process and social approach to address the genuine grievances of those involved in the militancy in the province.
For how long the state and its masses should accept the bloodshed, violence and lawlessness in the province.
Let there be an end to all forms of violence and exploitation in Balochistan province and indeed all over Pakistan. The Government of Pakistan must initiate national dialogue on the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Balochistan province in the Parliament.
Let the Parliament of Pakistan be a forum for promoting national harmony, national integrity and for securing the national sovereignty rather making it a battle ground of political parties.
— The writer is Professor of Politics and IR at International Islamic University, Islamabad.
