The recent statistics that reveal the kidnappings of Hindus in Balochistan, the news regarding the Congressional discussion in the United States about the human rights violations in Balochistan, the deaths of Hazara people, and the general dissatisfaction of the Balochis reiterate the belief that an urgent action must be taken in order to salvage a situation that is increasingly moving towards civil unrest.
Statistics show that 23 Hindus have been kidnapped in the recent months. Many more people have been missing in recent times. There is an increasing sense of hatred towards the federal government, which has grown exponentially since the murder of Bugti. There have also been attempts by the Balochi government to gain a greater extent of autonomy. All these problems continue to be sidelined by the present government.
With the proposed All Parties Conference on the issue of Balochistan destined to fail, as already shown by the non-involvement of PML(N), one must question the commitment of the government to the nation in comparison with their commitment to their own self-serving agendas.
It is of utmost importance that the conflicts with the Balochi government and major tribes must be resolved, the violations of human rights by the security forces must be probed into, and the kidnappings must be looked into as soon as possible. If the issue does not receive serious consideration followed by immediate remedial action, we might soon have another Bengal.
AAN ASIF CHEEMA
LUMS, Lahore
