Long-simmering tension in Balochistan is once again boiling over. On Sunday, another strike was observed across the province as Baloch nationalists continue to protest the murder of three of their leaders in Turbat earlier this month.
Meanwhile, a low-intensity insurgency rages on with security forces, gas pipelines and pro-government tribesmen coming under repeated attack by separatist guerrillas. On Saturday, a Frontier Corps vehicle was destroyed and two tribesmen blown up by landmine blasts in the Dera Bugti area, killing two and wounding several others.
In an op-ed for Dawn, Anwar Syed describes the Balochistan insurrection as ‘the gravest of the crises confronting the country.’ He says the problem poses a threat to the very survival of Pakistan and urges the government to take immediate action.
In your view, what measures need to be adopted by the Pakistani government to quell the ongoing unrest in the province and win back the support of the disaffected Baloch? What steps can be taken immediately and what should be planned long-term?
If what the Baloch are demanding is fair and just,it should be accepted. Targeting political activists and making them disappear reflects short sighted vision and can only aggravate the problem. Hosting the Taliban leadership around Quetta is also compounding a difficult situation. My suggestion is to empower the political leadership in Baluchistan and ensure that the Taliban is stopped from making inroads there. Mullah Omar and his gang should be sent back to where he came from.
Mr.Qaisrani,
why not Independence from Afghanistan that have illegally occupied an area of 70,000 km².
Please look in wikipedia:
Balochistan (Afghanistan)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balochistan_(Afghanistan)
Baloch people deserve their rights.
Govt should make universities, hospital and other infrastructure in whole balochistan , like they are doing in Gawadar.
I am Punjabi and majority of Punjabi think that Baloch should be given their rights.
Balochistan, Pakistan ki shan.
Cant we just consider the balochs rights???
We should give them their own place.
It will decrease a lot of problems for pakistan. There will be peace.
What do you say?
Some Baloch are not demanding provincial autonomy we are demanding independence from Pakistan and Iran
The Baloch problem is complex- one one hand it is a mound of a dying feudal system where the sardars who keep much of their population undeveloped and uneducated, work in cahoots with the federal government and take fat royalties out of the province’s resources. These sardars need to go- so with all due respect to the Baloch cause half the need for autonomy is solved right there because these sardars are playing in the hands of foreign powers for their own political and economical ends at the expense of Pakistan.
Second and more glaring problem is that of the treatment of minorities in Pakistan- I agree that politics in Pakistan is not issued based, its based around personalities, bhuttos, sharifs, the wali khans and altaf husseins of Pakistan have not done justice to the cause of liberty and freedom. Independence of Balochistan from Pakistan should not be tolerated at any cost, however rights be given to the Baloch people, education subsidized and more control of their resources given to them- however the Baloch nation must understand that it cannot take the support of foreign secret agencies and create a bogus demand- no patriotic pakistani will then listen to their demands- however credible!
While legitimate grievances of the people of Balochistan like a sincere and honest inquiry into disappearances of people or the recent murder of the three Baloch leaders must be addressed but there are lines beyond which no nation could or should go. The two areas in particular that should be off limits are sharing of the gas, minerals and other natural resources and the right of people from other provinces to settle in Balochistan.
Pakistan is one country and not four and every Pakistani has a right to the natural resources irrespective of whichever province they are discovered in. Similarly, every Pakistani has a right to settle and own property in any province he chooses. Within these two non negotiable principles, other grievances of the people of Balochistan can be considered sympathetically provided they are put forward in a non violent and brotherly manner.
Balochistan situations has reached to point of no return. The only solution is Independent Balochistan – their is no ultimate price for the lives of Baloch Martyrs.
Baloch problem is not new as of all the problems that Pakistan is plagued of. We have always had the tendency to shove the problems under the carpet, and so have we done with Balochistan and grievances of Baloch people. Sometimes by bribing the local leadership, and at others, power promises to win them over for whatever the incumbent regime wanted. And that is what we have done across Pakistan with all ethnicities. Rather than instilling a nationhood, we have continued with ‘divide-and-rule’.
Its time now that we keep the interest groups (local and foreign) out of our problems, and sincerely work towards solving our problems. Be it talibans, balochs or any other. And the way to do it would be to live up to our promises and commitments made to the various aggreived factions. Give the Baluchs their rights, royalties and across the board development investment, and see where we end up.
We all must realize the enemy and start understanding – the unity is our only strength. The enemy JUST DON’T WANT US TO LIVE WITH FREEDOM.
We might have problems within our country, we might have differences among each other but all must be dealt within our country.
And not under the supervision of someone who is there to destroy – to take away last bit of bread that we are left with.
Alama Iqbal said that its better to die than to eat something which can take you astray.
I wish Balochs to have their honour back for which their forefathers died for.
My Baloch was never part of Pakistan. The concept of Pakistan came only in 1947. We existed for more than 5000 years. We were independent and we will be independent.
Fight all the militants who want to get so-called independence from Pakistan and problem is solved, because i don’t think that militants like Buramdagh Bugti want to talk.
The only reason why all other ethnicities including bengalis harbour strong antipathy punjabis is because of our punjab centered politics and punjab dominated army!
Give provincial autonomy to all provinces as it was stated by jinnah and its also in our constitution.
have we ever thought why there are nationalist movement in every province other than punjab?
I know punjabis are the most muhibb-e-watan Pakistani’s and they love Pakistan the most.. I would urge my Punjabi brothers to work for Pakistan, not for Punjab. Because of this Punjabi centered politics we have lost our east pakistan and now soon we can loose other provinces.
Provincial autonomy and justice is the only solution.
I would recommend that Pakistan should make new provinces and should merge different ethnicities in same provinces. For e.g. make 10 provinces of Pakistan which each province having 10% of the population. In this way there wont be any provincial injustice with any province as every province will have equal proportion of population.
May Allah unite muslims and end the bad ethnic politics that we have in Pakistan!
Pakistan was created on the name of Islam. Baloch, Sindhis, Punjabis, Pakhtoons and others were united together with the binding force of Islam. If there is no Islam in Pakistan, there will be no Pakistan. Balochis will fight with Punjabis, and Sindhis will fight with Pakhtoons….
Solution:-
Implement of a socially just society, as existed during the time of Hazrat Umar. Provide Justice to all. Give tough punishments to anyone who is involved in corruption. Provide direct assistance to poor families by implementing a transparent zakat management system.
This transparent Zakat system can be implemented with the help of NADRA. Give direct zakat assistance to people living in remote areas (especially to Balochis). The Benazir Income support program (BISP) is a good step in the right direction; But provision must be added that ordinary citizens should also donate their zakats/donations to BISP. In return NADRA should give these donors complete transparency , and the provision to recommend the poor person (and not just through MNAs, as is done currently).
I have a feeling that if people start giving their alms in an organized manner (as through BISP), and provided a transparent system exists, a lot of big problems can be solved through collective effort.
If their problems are economic, provide economic redress, if social, then give them respect along with resources in form of school,medical centres.To jump start their economy, give them the tools they need in keeping with their rudimentary skills. Also, shun patronizing patronizing and let them have royalties, and open, democratic government. 21st Century is a knowledge century. Pakistan or Hindustan or any other nation,won’t survive unless they realize that the methods of keeping dalaals for delivering votes won’t work anymore. The alternative is nativisation in form of Taliban, Muthalik and Thakerey. A life of moderation is totally imperiled. Pakistan needs more probably, since it’ll need to undergo several revolutions,that it skipped after partition, land reforms, eradication of feudalism, gender equality and women rights, a spiritual interpretation of faith, (all faiths will appear same and interfaith hostility will vanish probably). Let’s see,where all this goes.There is no way except this .Either we remove gross disparities, or nature coupled with atavism will resolve matters, which will produce regression to say the least, and will again have to be fought over for correction. Someone from the sub-continent based himself on just truth & non-violence to eject the greatest imperialist of the day.
Justice Justice Justice, monies has to go directly to the people not to the landlords.
Baluchistan has lot of minerals however they have never been given their fair share. In addition, literacy and poverty rate is strikingly low. Basic needs has to be met by the Govt. if not the vacuum will be filled by someone else and hope and pray not by Taliban’s. I agree with Anwar Syed that it’s a threat to the very survival of Pakistan
I wish to live long enough to see people claiming Pakistanis instead of Punjabi, Sindhi, Bolachi,Pahatan, Mohajir and so on.
The solution is simple and at the same time quite complex. Just give the Baloch their rights.
But may be its too late now, Rehman Malik’s assertions that less than a percent of the populace wants independence from Pakistan is wrong, a lot of people think otherwise.
The government needs to sit down with the nationalist Baloch leaders and listen to their demands, and I think most their demands are fairly justified, so the government needs to show real sincerity with the Baloch cause and do some development work like it has been done in Punjab and to some extent Karachi.
Give them autonomy. (Not like Tibet.)
Find the killers of the recent murders and throw them a bone in the form of Musharraf who bumped off Bugti.
They’ll be our friends for life.
Ok. Now we know it. Will we do anything ? Don’t answer that.
must not repeat the mistakes of East Pakistan.
my Pakistan includes Baluchistan. Mr. Prime minister this is the time to save the country, it is time you shouldered your responsibility showed courage and took the initiative to start the reconciliation process.
Punjab Chief Minister and the people of Punjab must publicly show solidarity with the concerns of Baluchistan and support them to give them their legal and rightful due. Baluchies should also express their grievances as Pakistani and return the province to normalcy and not play into the hands of those that want to hurt Pakistan. Baluchistan is strong with in Pakistan. Pakistan is strong with Baluchistan.
i agree with Omar Khan, Government of Pakistan must make an apology to the Baluchi people and turn a new Page.
the president of Pakistan should deliver the commitments he made to Baluchistan.
there should be an immediate reconciliation effort a high powered committee must be formed
headed by the President,or Prime minister must include Nawaz Sharif and other leaders.
they should not meet as Punjabi, Sindhi Baluchi or Pashtoon but Pakistani and work around the clock to address the grievances of the Baluchistan.
There should be a public apology by the Prime minister and an acknowledgment of unfairness meted to the Baluchi people.
The Baloch are founders of Pakistan. Providing a huge population to our enemies as possible recruits is a huge mistake made by our establishment. There is no Pakistan without the Baloch and the sooner their just demand of provincial autonomy, as promised by Jinnah in the 1940 resolution, is met the better it is for our country.
What is wrong with letting them run their own affairs? Why must our ruling elite have its cake and eat it too?