Sorting out the mess in Balochistan

The SCBA conference on Balochistan emphasised that the solution to its multi-faceted problems must be a political one.

At last, some effort has been put together to sort out the affairs of Balochistan. Following an initiative by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) in calling a conference on the province, all major parties of Balochistan assembled on May 26, in an attempt to tackle the matter and find some solutions. The gravity of the situation appears to have been understood at last and alongside the usual rhetoric, we seem to finally have witnessed some real thinking. This is encouraging given that there has been a dearth in the need to find some sort of lasting resolution to the problems of Balochistan, which has consequently resulted in a failure to move forward in any direction.

The SCBA needs to be congratulated for its role, with mainstream parties from Balochistan also joining other groups present for the historic occasion. What was most crucial of all was the 15-point declaration agreed on at the end of the discussion. In the first place, it emphasised that the solution to Balochistan’s multi-faceted problems must be a political and not a military one. This is an argument the Baloch themselves have been purporting for years. In order to see lasting peace in Balochistan, it is essential that first the province must be demilitarised. The damaging role the military has played there is known to all who have studied the troubled history of that territory and the many tragedies that have unfolded there over the decades, especially in the recent past.

These tragedies were also referred to in the declaration. The issue of missing persons — which in so many ways lies at the heart of the matter; the continued mysteries surrounding the deaths of Nawab Akbar Bugti and Balach Marri, the threats to the women of the Bugti family and other matters were all raised. It is important that these be discussed and the veil of secrecy surrounding them be lifted. Now that matters have been laid out on the table, it is more likely that the major political parties will look at them more earnestly. The fact that Balochistan lies at the heart of our federation was also acknowledged during the conference. This is encouraging and perhaps, the first much-needed step that can genuinely lead to solutions and an end to the crisis in the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 29^th, 2012.