Opinions
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Posted on
2013-04-03
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306
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Little do political parties in Balochistan realise that the noose of disaster, devastation and desolation will tighten around the neck of the people
Ironically, an irony that escaped him, Sardar Akhtar Mengal’s decision to participate in the forthcoming elections coincided with March 27, the day Baloch nationalists observe as a ‘Black Day’, because that day in 1948, Balochistan was forcibly annexed, depriving the Baloch of their freedom. Interestingly, on March 25 on arrival he had said that nothing had changed since his last September Supreme Court (SC) appearance. He said since then 70 bodies had been dumped and 60 target killings had taken place. He said institutions were mistakenly trying to impose their views by force and had pushed Balochistan to the present critical situation. He added he would not have lived four years in exile had there been constitutional rule in the country and was of the view that free, fair and transparent elections could not be held without ending interference by the intelligence agencies, and moreover, the caretaker government was unlikely to succeed in restoring law and order in two months, where previous rulers had failed. He emphatically added it was not clear how the elections would be held in a ‘bloodstained’ Balochistan.
Apparently, somehow the situation suddenly changed and Mengal joined the bandwagon though the ground reality was that a few more bodies were dumped in Karachi and Hub after his arrival. This kidnapping and killing will not end during the caretaker period or after the elections because not a single person has been held accountable. A March 21 news report stated that the SC’s three-member bench was told by DIG CID Balochistan Feroze Shah that 10 army officers are involved in the abduction of missing persons in Balochistan. He stated, “Following the statements of 12 missing persons after they returned home the Balochistan police asked the Frontier Corps (FC) to trace the whereabouts of the accused army men including two Lt Colonels, six majors and two subedaars.” He disclosed that the FC said some of these officers did not belong to it, and others had gone back to the army. So there the matter rests; people continue to go missing without accountability.
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Posted on
2013-03-17
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1225
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By Hafeez Hasanabadi - Translated by Archen Baloch
Afghans are highly weary of 34 years’ external and internal wars and their immediate neighbors, Baloch and Pashtun are also in a constant state of virtual hysterical condition.
Internationally, big powers America, Russia, India and China are also unhappy with the current situation. But no solution is in sight of the problem in the near future. Rather, there is every possibility that it can get more complicated in future.
Keeping in view the possible challenges, the Afghan government issued a statement in which it raised the concerns over Taliban release. “Last year Pakistan released 26 senior Taliban leaders and they all rejoined the Taliban again”. Similarly Afghan President Karzi, in a letter of condolence to Pashtun leader Asfand Yar Wali on the killings his party leaders, asked for a joint deliberation on Afghanistan issue.
Here we’re to deal with two important questions to see (1) to what extent the Pashtun leaders of Pakistan are influential to control the Taliban and (2) what would happen to President Karzai’s appeal?
It is a bitter reality that Pashtun leaders of Pakistan and Pashtun general public are pool apart in their thinking about Afghan people when it comes to Afghanistan issue: Pashtun leaders’ thinking reflects Pakistani rulers’ point of views whereas a common Pashtun regards Afghans as sincere as of a brother.
This was the contradiction that four months back, this scribe in an article on Afghanistan issues, “The Afghan Crisis, A matter of Concern for America and Russia” said that “All that efforts that America is exerting through Afghanistan government for talk with Taliban and getting their fugitives released from Pakistani jails are seemed to result into a zero sum game as it is the game that Pakistan exactly wants to be played for dissipating American and Afghani energy and time”.
The statement issued by Afghan rulers today reflects exactly the same concerns we predicted a few months back. With American money and Afghan rulers’ recommendations, Pakistan has created the hell of difficulties for them. The main reason why we termed the release of Taliban prisoners as a zero sum game was that we all alone knew that either our Afghan friends are forced or in a hurry to understand the disposition of Pakistani rulers which caused them to overlook some very important facts.
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Posted on
2013-02-12
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495
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Saindak and Gwadar are the microcosm of all that is wrong in Balochistan; the locals are left out of the benefits
During the 1973-77 Baloch struggle for rights, Pakistan used Iranian expertise, weapons and finances for counter-insurgency and deployed 30 Iranian AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters with Iranian pilots to pursue the Baloch guerrillas who had effectively put the army on the back foot with lethal hit-and-run guerrilla tactics. Historically, the Baloch and Iranians have been at odds and Pakistan exploited the Iranian fear of a Baloch nationalist struggle within its territory. The Iranian state systematically curbs Baloch political, economic and social rights, repressing them and even actively discouraging the Balochi language and attire.
Then the ascendant Iran helped Pakistan fight the Baloch, but today, plagued by problems and under a different regime, cannot afford this luxury. However, they still actively cooperate against the Baloch nationalists who they see as a threat to their interests in Balochistan. Pakistan, practically applying Friedrich Nietzsche’s advice: “The best weapon against an enemy is another enemy”, is now skilfully using China’s rivalry with the United States to counter the Baloch struggle. This tactic, however, is a double edged sword.
Pakistan has always banked on the superpower to sustain its unjust regimes and policies. It was the United States for long but since the Afghan war, old allies, viewing each other suspiciously, have fallen out. Now China, desiring global authority, has stepped in for its own interests. China willingly supports the majority nationality in many countries, much to the chagrin of others.
To become a global power and to sustain its production and development levels, China needs reliable energy and raw material sources. Currently, China ships Gulf oil through the Malaccan Straits to its Pacific coast before sending it inland; it wants to end its dependence on the strategically vulnerable Malaccan Straits. With increased tensions over islands with its neighbours, this has becomes even more urgent. China seeks and needs an opening up of the energy and trade corridor from the Gulf to western China; the answer to its problems are Gwadar and Balochistan.
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Posted on
2013-01-06
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2860
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By Archen Baloch
The people of Balochistan greeted 2013 with a bloodbath inflicted upon them by Pakistan military offensives on the eve of Christmas day 25th December. In this gory operation more 51 person were reportedly killed with several losses of livestock and properties.
Different Baloch organisations having different identities, yet with a shared ideology and purpose - mostly called pro freedom forces – have engaged the occupying Pakistani state in a defensive resistance with sheer determination get rid of Pakistan’s occupation over Balochistan.
The main expression of Baloch resistance is reflected in daily incidents occurring at the length and breadth of Balochistan whereby the state writ is totally challenged. The strength of the Baloch resistance can be measured by objective’s popularity among general public where the “Sarmachars” the freedom fighters, draw their sustenance in obscurity.
The current Mashkay siege, Balochistan operation by Pakistan army and its brutal use of heavy war machines, including three Jets, seven gunship helicopters and seventy military vehicles is a case in point to gauge the popularity of the movement where no one but Pakistan itself has located the source of support for the freedom fighters. What has gone into the heads of the panic stricken Pakistani military establishment is the very nightmarish realisation that Balochistan has virtually gone out of their immoral control. They realised the fact that without Balochistan, Pakistan would go back to ‘Stone Age’ because the immense geopolitical importance and the vast reservoir of natural resources, that Pakistan has been exploiting without any hindrance so far, has come to a halt.
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Posted on
2013-01-01
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1233
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By Somalan Baloch
The Pakistani forces increasingly conducted military offensives against Baloch civilian and political workers in 2012
Extra Judicial killings and human rights violations in 2012 intensified resultantly more than 210 political activists, 19 Journalists and three human rights defenders lost their lives
Paramilitary forces personnel with the help of Inter Service Intelligence Agency routinely carry out summary executions of persons suspected of being member of pro-freedom Baloch political parties
Balochistan remained a killing field for Pakistan in 2012. Hundreds of Baloch political workers have been, brutally tortured and killed in custody – their bodies dumped across Balochistan. Pakistan brutal forces carried out indiscriminate bombardments and artillery assaults on civilian residential areas and the death squads of military target killed several well-educated Baloch non-combats. Such heinous crimes by the state forces are tantamount to war crimes and crimes against humanity and pushed the peaceful political struggle to armed confrontation.
The Pakistani forces increasingly conducted military offensives against Baloch civilian and political workers in 2012. Military intelligence (MI), Inter Service Intelligence Agency (ISI) paramilitary forces with the help of Pakistan army have carried out serious abuses including kidnapping, torture, and what appear to be extrajudicial executions of common Baloch civilian in past year. The spread and strengthening of fighting have led to a dire humanitarian crisis with hundreds of thousands internally displaced or seeking refuge in neighbouring Afghanistan and European countries.
According to Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Pakistani paramilitary forces and Law Enforcement Agencies have committed “disgusting violations of human rights” since Baloch insurgency intensified.
The Human Right Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) report on Balochistan estimation was based on interviews with more than hundred victims and witnesses, but observers were not allowed access to some areas such as Dera Bugti (The native region of late Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti killed in a military operation in August 2006), Kohlu, Khuzdar and some other restive parts of the province, the report said.
Earlier a year, the Human Right Watch and London based human rights defender Amnesty international estimated that government forces had killed at least 350 civilians after abducting them.
According to the report revealed by HRW entitled as “Pakistan: Upsurge in killings in Balochistan” said that “since January 2011, at least 150 people have been abducted and killed and their bodies abandoned - acts widely referred to as "kill and dump" operations, in which Pakistani security forces engaged in counterinsurgency operations may be responsible” report also called upon the government of Pakistan to immediately act to end the epidemic of killings of suspected Baloch militants and opposition activists by the military, intelligence agencies, and the paramilitary Frontier Corps in the south-western province of Balochistan.
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