Make peace with the Baloch people
It goes to the discredit of Pakistan’ ruling elite, both political and military, to have driven the people of Balochistan to desperation, and forcing some to seek independence. To keep the small population of the province, now nearing 15 million, contented should have posed little problem, all the more so in view of the abundant natural and mineral resources of the province. The Baloch are known for being confident and open-minded. Those settled in Punjab and Sindh are well integrated and have significant representation in the assemblies. The genuine demand for autonomy and equal rights by the people of Balochistan was suppressed by successive military and civilian rulers with authoritarian mindsets while the province has been subjected to several military operations since 1947. The forced disappearances of Baloch activists that started during the Musharraf regime continued without interruption under the PPP administration. What is more scores of political activists were tortured to death and their bodies dumped in the open. After the killing of Akbar Bugti, a section of the Baloch turned into extremists and indulged in equally reprehensible reprisals that included attacks on installations of national importance, killing of innocent people from other provinces and of the security personnel. Sectarian terrorists meanwhile turned Quetta into the killing fields of the Hazara community.
The Baloch nationalist parties remain under immense pressure from the insurgents who want them to work for an independent Balochistan. The decision by Akhtar Mengal to return and take part in elections is thus a highly courageous move. The key to peace in Balochistan lies in holding of peaceful and transparent elections. This requires a level playing field for all contestants in the province. Any attempt by the agencies to get incompetent leaders of their liking foisted on the province through political engineering, as was done in 2002 and 2008, would strengthen separatists and terrorists.
Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan. It has the country’s second deep sea port. The crucial Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline will also pass through the province. The people of Balochistan deserve better treatment than has been meted out to them. BNP-M chief Akhtar Mengal demands measures that alone can make the elections credible. The Supreme Court, the Caretaker Prime Minister and the Election Commission need to jointly exert themselves to ensure that military operations against the Baloch are suspended, missing persons are produced before the court, proxy death squads are disbanded, Baloch political parties are allowed to function without interference from the intelligence agencies, persons responsible for torture, killing and dumping of bodies are brought to justice and measures are taken to rehabilitate the displaced Baloch living in appalling conditions. Unless the measures are taken the pitch would remain queered for the nationalist parties which would bring to question the legitimacy of the elected assembly.
