LAHORE: Every government from 1958 onwards has mishandled Balochistan and today our collective failures to resolve this issue politically, without the use of force, has led to its internationalisation with a US Congressional committee discussing this matter.
The problem started with the imposition of One Unit, inspite of opposition from Balochistan and the former East Pakistan. This was followed by military action in 1960, and then Sardar Ataullah Mengal’s government was dismissed in February 1973, followed by a full-fledged military operation that lasted till 1977. As a nation we have failed to learn any lessons from the dismemberment of half the country in 1971. It seems that excesses committed by Musharraf junta in Balochistan, such as use of brite force, picking up and detaining people incommunicado and the killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti, all pose a grave threat to the federation.
For the sake of our future generations, the establishment and those who matter within political and civil society along with the media must rise to the occasion. There needs to be a fair trial to punish those guilty for the murder of Akbar Bugti to pacify the anger of our brothers, even if that involves putting Musharraf in the dock.
Malik Tariq Ali
Published in The Express Tribune, February 13th, 2012.
