The threats of growing religious extremism and Balochistan

The new waves of religious extremism and the attack on a school in Peshawar which killed 142 people including 130 schools kids have initiated a new debate. The Pakistani government and the army also seem to be active. The government has lifted moratorium on hangings and implemented it within three days whereas the military also claimed to have killed more than 160 ‘religious extremists’ in three days.

The critics of military and independent experts say that if the military and intelligence agencies of Pakistan can find the whereabouts of a large number of ‘terrorists’ and kill them in short spam of three days then why have they failed to take action against them earlier. This, the experts claim, prove that that the extremists are on military’s pay role the military and the intelligence agencies knew about their hideouts because they [religious extremists] are the strategic depth that’s why the military turned a blind eye on them.

But after the attack on military public school in Peshawar where the children of army officers were killed, the military soon took action. On the other hand some experts believe that recent wave of violent activities including Peshawar attack are connected with American aid. Whatever the experts may say, there is very little doubt about the fact that Pakistani military, intelligence agencies and the religious extremist terrorists in the region are two sides of the same coin and it is the Pakistani military that nurtures these groups.

The Baloch pro-freedom leadership since long have been trying to bring this to the world’s attention that Pakistani military is systematically trying to expand the network of religious extremism in Balochistan and military is providing them safe havens under a pre-planned agenda. These groups are not only spreading religious madness in tolerate Baloch society but they are also involved in abduction and killing of secular pro-freedom Baloch activists. Historically the Baloch have always been a tolerate and secular nation, during partition when Hindus were being massacred all over Pakistan – the Baloch people have offer safe sanctuary to Hindu minorities and since then they have been living and practicing their religion in Balochistan without any fear.

Moreover one cannot find any example or incident of sectarian violence in the history of Balochistan and till date Balochistan have had no religious group or party and if today any religious party exists in Balochistan that is ‘Baloch Ulma Council’ which consists of pro-freedom and moderate scholars. Other extremist religious parties such a Jama’at Ulma Islam, Jama’at Islami and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi have no presence in Balochistan because they do not belong to Balochistan – these parties are the creation of occupying Pakistani forces and they have been brought in Balochistan by Pakistan army to impose their version of Islam on Baloch people.

Balochistan’s secularism and enlightenment characteristic have always been a challenge for Pakistan’s Islamic ideology and after many efforts and military operation Pakistan could not bring the Baloch nation into the fold of its Islamic ideology. That is why today Pakistan is trying its best to facilitate the religious extremists in Balochistan. A clear example of this was seen during the earthquake in Awaran district of Balochistan where the Pakistani military has banned all national and international aid agencies except the Al-Khidmat Foundation of Jama’at Islami and the Jama’at Dawa the group of terrorist Hafiz Saeed who orchestrated the Bombay attacks. The closure and attacks against schools in Balochistan, killing of Baloch educationists and teachers and opening a network of Madrasas in different corners of Balochistan including Mastung, Zehri, Fairozabad and Bardi area of Wadh where the terrorist have their camps under the supervision of intelligence agencies – are all connected to military’s effort to radicalise Balochistan.

If one analysis Pakistan’s ‘good Taliban and bad Taliban’ philosophy it is clear that Pakistani army is the only institution that is nurturing terrorists in the region. Hence it cannot be ruled out that Pakistan want to radicalise Balochistan under a pre-planned conspiracy and in these circumstance further American aid to Pakistani army is a matter of grave concern for secular and enlighten Baloch forces. Baloch pro-freedom activists have been trying to inform the common tax payers in Western countries that their tax money is being spend to help those who are always busy planning attacks to kill your children.

Keeping in view Balochistan’s tolerant historical background it won’t be wrong to suggest that Baloch people like the Kurds are the only forces in region that can challenge and stand against the state sponsored religious madness. That’s why the wold must help the secular Baloch instead of Pakistan which provides safe haven to extremists, otherwise the Pakistani intelligence agencies will not only harm the world peace with their religious expansionist designs but they will also turn Balochistan into a hotbed for the extremists and once Balochistan has been fully radicalised then it will be almost impossible to stop the spread of extremism in world.