It seems we are not yet prepared to accept that we confront a full grown insurgency in Balochistan. If we did that, we should not have been so lazy in addressing the problems in Balochistan. With all eyes set on FATA we only view Balochistan as a problem that is turning from bad to worse.
Something that happened before, which we were able to effectively counter and control before and hope it will be not much different now.
Are we in control? Are we winning or losing in Balochistan? What constitutes victory and what constitutes a loss? Do we have the means, ability, stamina and the will to win? Can a political solution resolve insurgency in Balochistan? If it can why ‘military actions’ are being used as means to that end?
For the insurgents, the creation of an independent state may be a strategic objective but with our actions are we preventing insurgents from achieving this objective? Undermining government legitimacy in Balochistan may be insurgent’s operational objective but are we taking any measures for people to trust the government with what it can deliver to them, accept its authority and therefore its legitimacy?
Economic reforms and education are essential but so is justice and “rule of law”. The people of Balochistan suffer from many “preventable miseries” which will not be cured only by initiating ‘combat operations’ but by providing justice and “law enforcement”. Safe and secure environment to live, access to essential public services and humanitarian relief are the basic rights of the people of Balochistan.
The current state of affairs in the province suggests that our deeds hardly match our words. The one big prize for which both the insurgents and the government compete is the support of people of Balochistan. With inconsistencies in what we have promised and what we have delivered so far, we can hardly claim to have won their support.
There are huge difficulties and costs involved in winning the battle for public support. This we can do by our well-intended and well-coordinated actions that address their genuine concerns/demands.
One such action is to initiate immediate reforms in FC and police force for the people of Balochistan to trust them and to view them as their saviours and not tools of state that lead many innocent people to their misfortunes.
LT COL (Retd) MUHAMMAD ALI EHSAN
Karachi
