This brings us to a crucial question. Why has there been so much indifference in the country to the situation in Balochistan? Within that province, anger runs high. It exists even among school children and ordinary housewives. International, as well as local, human rights monitoring bodies have repeatedly drawn attention to the atrocities in Balochistan. The reports have been seething and make no bones about the forces they believe are involved in Balochistan. But why, we need to ask, do our own authorities seem so unmoved? Why have visits by the prime minister and the president to Quetta failed to produce any tangible results and why is the provincial government, elected by people, able to do so little? Who, we ask, has control over the affairs of Balochistan; who is actually running the province and where are things headed? At the very least, a credible inquiry should be conducted to find out who is behind the killings.
These queries are not being asked often enough. They have certainly not entered the realm of mainstream thinking in the country or been taken up by television anchors who act increasingly to shape opinion and set the agenda for news. Yet everything about our history indicates we need to look at Balochistan with a far more proactive approach. The events in what was once East Pakistan must not be forgotten. The miniscule population size of Balochistan means these events have not yet been repeated, at least on a full scale. But who knows what the future will hold, and what may yet happen in a province where bodies strew the streets like fallen fruit.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 5th, 2011.
COMMENTS (7)
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Your highlighting the plight of the people of this bloodiest/tangled province is highly appreciate.But as the say"ya Rab na wo samjhe hain na samjhengay meri baat". So no hope!!!!!!
Many people including the writer of this article,are desperately trying to warn the "Power"to take stock of the pathetic situation,the country is in. But they seem to be averse to the daily happenings and have closed their eyes to the miseries of poor people.Some times,under extreme pressure and agonies,one wishes,though we great sadness,had these victims were the sons and daughters of those who are playing with destiny of this country.I only pray that the God is listening and we all repeat ALL,drown like the tribe of Naoha.
The editorial is packaging its query in a manner not only incredulous but astonishing too. Every citizen seems to have the answer to this query of not only who is running Baluchistan but who is responsible for the disappeared people. Continue to be an Ostrich with head in the sand.
We scream about torture, dead bodies and mass graves committed by the federal state in Kashmir.....while we conveniently ignore the very same thing happening in Baluchistan...
What are the prime minister, the president and the Army chief good for if they cant control their own para-military forces? And what about the integrity of these para-military forces? We all still remember the shooting of a guy in front of television cameras by the Security forces in Karachi! What can I say?
Have a look at http://amnesty.org/en/appeals-for-action/end-enforced-disappearances-in-Pakistan by "Amnesty International" and do your least part.
I appreciated ur opinion on this situation but its not enough as our baloch brothers been dumped and killed till today but even not a single news tv air this news.Why?who are u afriad of ? and u don't know who is behind this ? for god sake do not say no cox u already written that history is repeating itself.so u already know who were behind the dead bodies of intellectuals in Bangladesh.....