Dr Lutfur Rehman
BALOCHISTAN has witnessed increase in terrorist acts during the current year. Scores of innocent people were killed in Ziarat, Khuzdar and Washuk districts this month. A terrorist organization, Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for these gruesome attacks. In response, Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps and Police launched a coordinated operation eliminating dozens foreign-funded terrorists. According to South Asia Terrorism Portal, 600 terrorist acts have been committed in province this year which resulted in martyrdom of about 1300 people including civilians, police personnel and members of the security forces. But the number of terrorists eliminated by the security forces and police is ten times higher than the victims of terrorists.
Balochistan is direct victim of ethno-religious terrorism. BLA is conducting terrorism by using Baloch nationalistic card. On the other hand, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is also carrying terrorist acts on the pretext of religion. The two banned terrorist organizations have separate training camps in Afghanistan, but they provide technical and logistic support to each other to kill and injure maximum number of innocent people. According to the United Nations Security Council reports that the TTP and the BLA has safe havens in different Afghan provinces including Kandahar, Khost, Paktia, Paktika, Nangarhar, Kunar and Nuristan. The ruling Afghan Taliban have shifted high profile figures of both the organizations to Kabul to ensure their safety.
The prime targets of BLA are Chinese nationals working on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor-related projects, police personnel, members of armed forces, civil servants and Punjabi speaking civilians. BLA was founded by Hyrbyair Marri in 1996. His father and Baloch nationalist leader, Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri spent 18 years in self-imposed exile in Afghanistan.
Baloch Sardars or tribal chiefs are also responsible for creating unrest in the province to continue enjoying personal gains. The Sardari system (Sandeman System) was introduced by Robert Sandeman, Agent to Governor-General (AGG) to strengthen the British grip over the region. This system based was on bribing Sardars. Robert Sandeman succeeded in his mission and he was known as the “peaceful conqueror of Balochistan.” With the passage of time, the Sardari became hereditary instead of being elective. When their interests are at stake, they force local people to create law and order situation.
Baloch nationalistic elements are also in the forefront. The Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 has left deep influence on Baloch young men. An educated Baloch youth, Mir Abdul Aziz Kurd is considered as the pioneer of Baloch nationalism. He termed the British and Sardari system as curse for Balochistan. He founded a clandestine organization, (Young Baloch) in the 1920s to remove the curse. The former Soviet Union offered scholarships to Baloch youth and with their return, nationalist movement got momentum. After the creation of Pakistan, both the Sardari system and Baloch nationalist movement continue. When personal interests of Sardars are at stake, they openly challenge writ of the state. They create hurdles in implementation of development schemes. They want to utilize development funds for their personal use. Several Sardars joined ranks of nationalists/leftists to ensure their supremacy. The so-called liberals have also joined leftists and Sardars to create disturbances.
BLA has suicide unit, Majeed Brigade. It has even used females as suicide bombers. BLA is desperately trying to win public sympathy, but Balochi people have totally ignored it. Ring leaders of the group are at daggers drawn with each other. This has resulted in surrender of hundreds of militants. Sarfaraz Bangulzai, a leader of his own faction, surrendered to the state in December 2023. These are positive signals. It is need of the hour to abolish Sardari system so that ordinary Baloch people could get basic amenities of life as in rest of the country. Loopholes in governess should be overcome to end deprivation among Baloch youth. The government should vigorously pursue extradition of terrorist ring leaders enjoying luxurious lives in Europe but playing with destiny of the nation and Baloch people.
The UN has declared TTP as a terrorist organization. Similarly, BLA has been declared a terrorist outfit by EU, UK, the US and Australia. Despite this, BLA leaders are living at ease in Europe and organizing anti-Pakistan protests there. Pakistan is making efforts so that the UN could also declare BLA as terrorist organization. All peace-loving members of the international community should support Pakistan in this noble cause. This will ultimately usher a new era of peace, harmony and development in Balochistan.
—The writer is former Controller News, Radio Pakistan and author of two books on “Pakistan-Afghanistan Border.”
