Is Balochistan falling away from the federation?
By Syed Samiullah • Apr 16th, 2009 • Category: Politics • 12 CommentsQuetta & surrounding areas are deserted. Complete vehicle jam strike was observed the other day across the province. Markets are closed & educational institutions are shut till 15th April 2009. People are weary & some angry Baloch young men are setting fire to government buildings. This is how Quetta seemed yesterday.
The brutal killings of three Baloch nationalists in Turbet had added fuel to fire in already deteriorating situation in Pakistan’s largest province area wise.
The killings of the nationalist leaders had sparked of ethnic violence across the province with settlers coming under fire in Quetta, Noshki, Gawader, Kalat, Khuzdar & Dasht. Most of the victims were innocent people, who had come to Baluchistan from all parts of the country to earn bread for their families.
After the tragic incident of Turbet about sixteen coffins had been dispatched to Punjab, Kashmir & NWFP (Pukhtoonkhwa). Responsibility of all the target killings had been taken by one or other banned Baloch separatist organizations.
This is just a reflection of where this troubled province is heading towards. There are many other incidents of ethnic violence reported from other parts of Baluchistan. The banned outfits BLA, BNUF & BRA had called upon the Baloch people to come & join them in armed struggle against the state. Even the moderate Baluchs are now revising their approach towards reconciliation process.
Things are looking very bleak & dismal. Today’s Baluchistan is totally a different Baluchistan as compared to August 27, 2006 when Akber Khan Bugti was brutally assassinated in Khahan mountain of Kohlo district. After the murder of the former CM & governor of Baluchistan, attacks on the security forces & settlers mostly belong to Punjab has increased alarmingly.
The provincial government seems non-existence here in Baluchistan. It has failed miserably in protecting lives & properties of common people. Beside this the state agencies remains mere spectators. It is reported in the news again & again that foreign hands are involved in the province & they are aiding & sponsoring anti-state elements. But question arises here as to what are our agencies doing?
There is no doubt that Baluchistan has become a breeding ground for international players including our harsh rival India. Angry Baloch men & women are the perfect adds for fulfilling notorious objectives of foreigners.
Today Baluchistan is heading towards separation. The Baloch people are going towards the point of no return. Still the government has an opportunity to talk to the infuriated Balochs. In this regard one best option is direct contact for reconciliation with mighty personalities of the Baloch belt. The likes of Nawab Khiar Buksh Mari, Sardar Attaullah Mengal, Sardar Akhtar Jan Mengal, Hair Bihar Mari, Gazeen Mari & Dr. Hai Baloch can be of great help to both provincial as well as federal governments.
In the same way the government has to announce complete provincial autonomy immediately to soothe the irate Balochs. Complete autonomy on the resources ought to be given to the Baloch people. They ought to be the first beneficiaries of their own resources. In case the government ignores the graveness of the situation, the result might be horrendous for the federation.
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I hail from Killi Huramzai Syedan Balochistan; am post graduate in “International Relations” from UOB Quetta . Currently working as field supervisor for Balochistan Education Foundation in one of its projects in Balochistan. Love to write & travel as well as watching live coverage of major events
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Is Balochistan falling away from the federation? —— Well, one can only hope that it’s not!
I guess it is matter for all of us, within the federation of Pakistan, to seriously ponder over our difficulties and decide once and for ever what is it we need and want for ourselves. In my view, staying united has more merits than demerits, but I guess all must agree on this. Decision of such magnitude have to be made with cool head, anger and hot blood have never been helpful in making great decision if they also must prove to be good decisions.
After the general elections in Pak n 1970, the W Pak govt refused to give the Mujib Ur Rehman Party the rightful seat of power in Pak. Bhutto was against it. So, the result - large scale political demonstrations n chaos; resultant backlash by W Pak army; genocide of bengalis; their exodus to India n 1971 war resulting in creation of Bdesh n defeat of Pak by ind.
Taking a cue from the history, it is high time for Pak to wake up to this chaos in Balochistan. Also in Swat, Buner, NWFP.
Lest it be too late.
“Prevention is better than cure.”
I agree with views of both Aftab S. Alam & KB
Syed,
This is what I love about few Pakistani people they are ready to blame things on India for things happening in remote corner of the country which does not have direct link from India.
Anyways, as you pointed out, the things that the people of Baloch are facing is due to the treatment they receive and also by the lack of providing the necessary resources to the people over there. Had these things done by people in Pakistan, Baloch would not have been so agitated.
Also as per some history books and net searching shows that at the time of Partition Baloch leader Badshah Khan or Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan wanted to be part of India rather than that of Pakistan, this might also be one of the causes.
Adi brother I want to correct you; Baccha Khan (Ghafar Khan) does not belong to Baluchistan, rather he was known as the “Ghandi” of frontier (Pukhtoonkhwa). He had nothing to do with Baluchistan.
Indeed Baluchistan is dominated by both Baloch as well as Pakhtoon population beside other minorities. The problem started way back in 1959, when the mighty Ayoob Khan had launched a military operation against the Baloch Sardar, Nawab Nauroz (Nowroz) Khan, who went up to the mountains for rebellion, later on the establishment had pleaded him to come down bringing the Holy book, Quran in between, but alas the fedral government was not sincere & had killed Nawab Nauroz khan, who became the symbol of Baloch nationalism & struggle. Then it was Nawab Akber Khan Bugti, who was brutally murdered by the security forces & had made him a “hero” from “zero”. Now these influential people were not killed by Indians rather the mighty military establishment. And they are responsible for all the mess here in Baluchistan.
Syed,
Then why are you pulling India into it.
Adi the Baloch seperatist themselves claim to be receiving assitance from both Indai & Afghanistan. It is not me the entire Baluchistan will tell you that. I do consider the centre responsible for all the problems of Baluchistan but now it is beyond thier control, coz international players had come to the ground.
Syed
balchistan is not run by federation and any federal laws.You just see tints of state laws in urban city of quetta and in army controlled area and all other parts are controlled by sardars and their family tradtions mostly based on brutality,backwardness and feudalism.In this 21 st century, the federation here is only limited to deal between its sardars and ruling group.Ruling group only have good relations with your feuds on the basis of share in its mineral wealth and other unlawful activities like human and arms smuggling,kidnapping,car theft and many more.Now activity of gwader port is again attracting our vulture of politics to come and have new deals with your typical war lord.
@ Nazai
With due respect, you don’t know any thing about Baluchistan from what I read from ur comments.
Baluchistan is not run by any Sardar, not at all. Nawab Khair Baksh Mari is in Karachi, Sardar
Ataullah Mengal is confine to his residence in Wadh. Akhtar Jan Mengal is ill & is in Karachi.
Baramdagh Bugti; grand son of Nwab Akber Bugti is in Afghanisatn, leading rebellion. Nawab Rasiani
& Nawab Zulfiqar Magsi are in the top offices of Baluchistan but they too speak the same language
as of the angry Baluchs.
And do you know that the local people of Quetta are getting it hard to enter to the cantonment of
Quetta, where two picnic spots of Quetta are located. It is very much as if we are entering a foreign
country, showing every identity thing to the guards. This is just unacceptable.
To editor;
first of all i want to tell u one thing that mostly Baloch freedom fighters kill those settlers who spy for the agencies of occupier country(pakistan) .those who spy for pakistan ,either Baloch or nonbaloch are killed by baloch freedom fighters.may be some innocent settlers have been killed during such incidents such as sanha e Turbat , these are reactions of those actions being done by occupier army of napakistan,u dont see those Balochs who have been burnt by ur forces,u dont see those incidents when innocent Baloch people are killed in their marriage ceremonies including brides and bridegrooms and whole families ,their cerimonies have been changed in to mourning by ur napak forces,those innocent Baloch villagers including women and children who have been killed by ur forces in jet bombing,our baloch male and female still kidnapped by napak agencies in their torture cells.settlers are pakistanis we are shouting since 62 years that leave our Baloch land other wise they will be kicked out in any way.
secondly again ur an other false statement that Baloch fighters have claimed recieving aid from Aghanistan and India.Baloch fighters have not claimed of receiving aid from these countries but they have requested the whole world to help the Baloch nation when pakistan an atomic country is receiving aid from britain , iran , america since 62 years to kill Baloch nation then what happens if we request the world to help us in our freedom movement.
Thirly Brahamdagh Khan Bugti is not in afghanistan ,this is a propaganda by ur pakistani imperial he is in mountains of Balochistan fighting for freedom of Baloch land.
Balochistan is our heart and our soul. It shall not and will not InshaALLAH fall. It is, on the same hand, true that the government is not paying enough attention to Balochistan. I being a Punjabi, have a complete love and adoration for Balochistan, as it is a part of Pakistan and it is out best part.
hay…….
I was just wondering through writers profile and found your pic there… literally i was surprised to c ya there,,,, i have nt read your articles yet but em sure they r gonna be of high slandered…. may ALLAH help you in your ambitions !!!
as for as the current situation of Baluchistan is concerned these r just the same sort of happenigs associated with it since the creation of Pakistan . The resource-rich province is today marked by a high rate of poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, and infant and maternal mortality. In addition the years of military operations, ill-conceived and discriminatory policies and poor governance has resulted in extreme underdevelopment of the region. Years of defective policies of Islamabad has further deteriorated the life of the helpless masses. male litracy rate is only about 18.3% while that of a female is about 12%.. and every1 is quite familar with its quality of education. it is time for us to understand the real problem of Baluchistan… i am not a baloch but i striclty agree with balochs that people of Baluchistan (both Baloch and Pthans which constitutes about half each) to self rule without any intervention, use their resources to full xtent and educate their coming generations…