The Pakistani Spectator

Incident of target killings is a daily occurrence here in Baluchistan. On Monday 22nd March 2010 another well reputed & respected educationist have been gunned down in Quetta in broad day light, adding to the dismal list of assassinations of educationists. Last year on October 25th, minister for education Shafiq Ahemd Khan was killed in an incident of target killing. In April 2009, pro-vice chancellor University of Baluchistan was shot dead in front of the university.

Besides the killings of educationists mostly belonging to Punjab, the barber & shop keepers of Punjab are not safe too here in Baluchistan. On a number of occasions, innocent laborers have been targeted, not to speak of the every day target killings of the Hazara community, which the government links with sectarian violence.

It was way back in August 2006, when Nwawb Akber Khan Buggti was killed in an military operation in Kahan area of Kolu district, resulted in the unstoppable target killings f settlers as well as destruction of the national installations. The Baluch insurgents went on a rampage sine then & not sparing any one from Punjab, be it the doctor, teacher, professor, barber, laborer or security personnel. It reminds us very much the picture of East Pakistan prior to the establishment of Bangladesh in 1971.

Looking at the ground realities, it can easily be said that Baluchistan today is at the cross road. Its strategic depth as well as the Baluch insurgency has made it one of the attractive destinations for world powers, including India & Israel. The government has openly stated that Baluch insurgency is being fuelled by the Indian consulates in Kandahar & Ghazni. Beside this the Afghan government has too given asylum (protection) to the most wanted Baluch rebels.

Well, going through the statements & policies of the different Baluch political forces over the last two years, one finds contradiction in the vision of all players. At one hand there are armed insurgents, fighting for an independent Baluchistan, who according to the government are not more than just two thousand. On the other hand there are other forces, who want complete provincial autonomy, who are in considerable numbers. Then there are the likes of Jam Yousaf ; ex- CM Baluchistan, Sardar Rind; ex-federal minister & the one of the grand sons of Nawab Akber Khan Bugtti, who all want reconciliation with government on outstanding issues.

As per the Baluch separatist movement & the current situation in Baluchistan, we are afraid that if the target killings go on unabatedly, which obviously has had diverse affects on the socio-economic situation in the province, the Pakhtoons will get fed up with this. In fact the signs of the desperation of the Pakhtoon community are visible in Quetta & surroundings. This is something the Baluch insurgents can ill afford currently. Similarly the staggering scale of migration of settlers to Punjab has made the lives of the local difficult.

It is high time for the government to come with up concrete solutions to the problems of Baluchistan. Military operations must be halted as well as missing persons ought to be recovered & free. It has to give complete provincial autonomy not only to Baluchistan but to the rest of the federating units. With so-called packages the Baluchistan issue can never be resolved. Grievances of the people of Baluchistan are in abundance & they need to be addressed on emergency basis. As per the target killings of innocent professors, teachers, shop keepers, laborers & barbers; it is simply unjustifiable & unacceptable. The Baluch separatists need to understand that such acts of sheer violence did not help their cause at all. The Pakhtoons; almost as much as the Baluch in the province, vigorously support the Baluch cause but not at the cost of innocent lives as well as set back to their business.

Lets pray & hope that an amicable solution of the Baluchistan issue be reached at!