Why were Baloch nationalists not placated before campaigning started?
Violence and bloodshed shall continue to cast a shadow over the May 11 polls, as it appears to be, try as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) may. Incidents being reported are not merely limited to known militant groups, rather mainstream political parties are also being accused of brandishing weapons and threatening candidates. But it is Balochistan that has been identified as the main ‘problem area’ and ‘special treatment’ is being prepared for it. How the announcement that a 15-day operation led by the Pakistan Army in Balochistan shall affect peace in the already disillusioned province cannot be determined yet. What is known is that election-related violence in the province has surged, but so it has in Sindh and Khyber Pakthunkhwa too.
While Sindh’s caretaker chief minister has ordered law enforcement agencies to seek written details of each rally from political parties and getting a clearance certificate from the Bomb Disposal Squad, it does not answer the question of how bombs are to be defused and the task of campaigning to continue in a normal atmosphere. The AIG Karachi’s report over the earlier blasts in the city also needs to be made available to the public to allow the pinning of blame and improving candidate and voter security in the long run. But the real bells that should be ringing shall be set by the decision of the Balochistan caretaker government to announce that 6,500 army men, 17,000 FC men, 28,000 police and 15,000 levies shall “provide security” for the election. In an already disillusioned province, where the schoolteachers union representing 6,000 teachers, has reported threats from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and Lashkar-e-Balochistan in 11 districts, the “operation” could provide more, not less targets for separatist forces.
While the ECP has warned any teacher that refuses to show up for election duty with disciplinary action, there is no point served by putting the lives of people in danger. While on one side the parties contesting the election in Balochistan, including the Balochistan National Party-Mengal, National Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples Party and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, have demanded the operation, it does not bode well for the legitimacy of the polls in the medium to long term. In Punjab, the PML-N has been accused of brandishing weapons and threatening Ayesha Ahad Malik, but Punjab still has the least serious of security concerns. It is perhaps with the rest of the provinces in mind that the ECP has asked to take “earnest measures to prevent such assaults, ensuring an amicable and guarded atmosphere for the elections where the candidates and parties continue their campaign without fear”. But the question will remain: why were nationalists in Balochistan not placated before election campaigning started? And what about the threats being faced by the Awami National Party (ANP)? There is still no news of what measures shall be taken against the Taliban threat.
