Fetching calm in Balochistan

Shanzeh Iqbal


Balochistan is the most economically and strategically important Province of Pakistan but unfortunately the violence in Balochistan has become an order of the day. The reasons contributing to the depravation in Balochistan include overlooking the needs of the people here, inequitable distribution of resources and the tribal system. In the democratic structure of Pakistan there is simply no place of such a system. The chiefs merely go for perpetuating their own cruel authority and treat the poor masses as beasts of burden serving their vicious motives. It not only threatens the writ of State but is also a major reason for the backwardness of the Province. Most of these chiefs harbour anti State designs and thus serve as an effective tool to play in the hands of the foreign elements. The Afghan refugees, sectarian clashes, sense of deprivation and neglect have led to make the State of affairs still shoddier.

The people of Balochistan covet greater provincial autonomy. They also have the grievance over the fact that they are not taken into confidence pertaining to the developmental projects. Then they whine that most of the superior jobs in their Province are occupied by Punjabis or non Balochis. The Nationalists blame that Baulchistan did not receive its proper share from the federal revenue, especially federally collected revenue on natural gas. They also assert that the much prized army, bureaucracy and intelligence services are snatched by the Punjabis. The people of Balochistan resent that their Province has many resources but still it lacks in infrastructure as compared to Punjab. They say that the origin of gas is in Balochistan but they are deprived of this facility while almost whole Punjab is supplied with gas. Likewise a semi literate Baloch was telling me that there are mountains having gold here but the government is selling them to China. This kind of thinking increases bigotry. There is a need to generate awareness that if gold or other minerals are there then their extraction is an intricate process and for this proper machinery and expert people are required. Then there is resentment regarding the construction of new cantonments like kohlu or gwader. There are some cantonments in Balochistan nearby which people have made housing colonies and sell plots. Many Balochis are employed in the cants in different capacities. If this is the case then in Punjab there are so many cants. Does it mean that Punjabis start opposing them? There was a check post of FC at Uthal. On the demand of the Balochis it is abolished. But any aware Pakitani can very well realize that in the absence of this check post there will be unrestrained smuggling bringing heroin and lethal weapons in Pakistan.

India is fueling the insurgency in our tribal regions and in Balochistan Province. Rand has confirmed this fact. The Baloch youth is being brainwashed . I myself saw the words “Ajoi zandaq baat”(azadi zinda baad) written on the chairs of a school in Balochistan. Slogans like we want freedom, or free Balochistan were written on the walls and doors of that school and those classes were not of grown up students. They were the class rooms of 5th or 6th class. At most of the schools and buildings in Balochistan Pakistan flag cannot be exhibited. Pakistan studies cannot be taught at the schools over there. If the members of BSF, Baloch Students Federation or BLA, Baloch Liberal Organisation know about this, they will come, beat the students and tear the books. The strikes in the markets have become a recurrent routine. This affects the business a great deal. Earlier the warnings were sent to the people serving in army or government organizations through letters or calls. But now there are direct attacks.

A person was telling me the hardliners used to respect women a lot but now there is no reverence even Balochis are not themselves secure. Mostly well settled Balochis are migrating to the other parts of the country. I met many local people there and was greatly impressed with the civility, the gentle attitude and the kind demeanour. In my personal opinion the Balochis are the most good-natured people in Pakistan, very docile and greatly obedient and showing conformity to the rules. But it is a hard truth that the situation there is getting agonizing day by day. The foreign connection has the biggest role in deteriorating law and order affairs. The month of August is the most insecure month as the insurgents plan for a huge damage to army and other government servants on 14th August. After 14th August they celebrate their independence day and towards the end of August comes the death day of Nawab Bugti. One opinion is that the murder of Bugti was greatly responsible for exacerbating the ill circumstances. Supposedly, for a while we agree that he was a threat to the salvation of Pakistan, but if some organ of our body is diseased do the doctors just cut it and deprive us of that? No definitely not. We undergo the treatment and some therapies even may take months. Similarly the insurgency in Balochistan did not need a drastic surgery. It needed medication.

The government must adopt measures for the social uplift of the backward masses. Any reform must be brought in consultation with the Baloch nationalists. The nature of Balochistan problem is entirely different from that of the insurgency raked tribal belt hence it should be tackled differently. The serious attention given to Balochistan can only serve the problem. It has been argued that if a military operation is started in Balochistan, this can ignite the problem and the ramification can be highly disastrous. Along with that if the terrorist infrastructure is located and curbed down, this can prove to be a great success in settling down the burning issues. A sagacious political strategy must be devised to disband the outfits of militants. One other solution can be to invite the Baloch notables on a negotiating table and listen to their problems. Engage the intellectuals, prominent politicians, political activists in fruitful discussion. The leadership must visit the Province and assure the deprived masses that they will try to make amends to quell the momentous problems. Legitimate constitutional and political rights to the Provinces must be granted.

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