The day Gilani landed in Quetta, six persons were killed including four from the Hazara community and a policeman. DG FC had claimed a day earlier that Baloch militants had set up about thirty military training centres in Afghanistan. Gilani held a similar view. He said certain foreign countries were eyeing Balochistan’s resources. That a neighbouring country should be allowing this to happen is regrettable but by no means unexpected. Four countries from the immediate neighbourhood and many more farther away have claimed that terrorists trained inside Pakistan continue to play havoc in their areas. If one throws stones at a neighbour’s house, one must not expect bouquets of flowers in return.
The moral: Don’t do to others what you won’t like to be done to yourself.
The way to discourage people from playing into the foreign powers’ hands is to ensure the freedom of speech and organisation. Bad ideas can neither be jailed nor killed. They can, however, be made powerless through open debate and discussion. A perception that security agencies are involved in kidnappings, torture and extrajudicial killings of youth with peculiar political leanings has promoted alienation instead of patriotism. While one cannot stop a foreign country from coveting our resources what the government can do is to create an environment conducive to the thinking that it is in everybody’s interest to retain the federation. A good beginning would be to ensure that anybody committing a crime is brought before the court rather than whisked away to a secret torture centre. Those ruling the province must use the funds made available after the 18th Amendment for the welfare of the people instead of dividing it among 60 odd ministers.
It was a happy surprise to see the picture of CM Raisani receiving Gilani in Quetta. Gilani has once again listed the measures taken for the uplift of Balochistan including more share in federal funds, 10,000 more jobs for the youth etc. The moves are praiseworthy. We have also been told that the provincial government has been sufficiently empowered. Many are waiting with bated breath to see how effectively the government performs it constitutional duties during the remaining few months of its life.
