Balochistan

What ails the province?: ISI, MI assessment on Balochistan sought

Supreme Court already received report from IB, Balochistan govt.

Our Correspondent January 28, 2012

ISLAMABAD:

It seems the more the Supreme Court learns about Balochistan’s woes, the more it wants to learn.

After receiving reports from the Intelligence Bureau and the Balochistan government, the court passed an order on Friday for the ISI and the Military Intelligence to produce their report on the problems plaguing the security of the province.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Tariq Parvez marked February 6 for the next hearing.

Former President Balochistan High Court Bar Association (BHCBA) Hadi Shakeel had petitioned the court to pass instructions for the protection of life and property of the people of Balochistan.

He said that the gruesome incidents of target killing and kidnappings for ransom induced insecurity in the province, where 5,000 people are reported missing. The petitioner said that in times of crisis the government should reasonably enhance the quantum of compensation for the families of the persons who have been missing since long.

On the previous date of hearing, the court had asked the IB’s counsel to break down the copious report into bullet points for the convenience of the court. Presenting the report, the IB asked the court not to share the contents of the report with the public and treat it as a classified document.

The chief justice observed that the contents of the report did not qualify to be secret and directed the Registrar to keep the document under his care.

The court also issued notices to Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq and the Defence Secretary Nargis Sethi for February 6.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 28^th, 2012.

COMMENTS (11)

Navid | 12 years ago | Reply

Balochistan's solution is in more development which makes the feudal lords/sardars hysteric as they will no longer be able to manipulate their people. In Anatol Lieven's recently published book,Pakistan: A hard Country, Akbar Bugti in an interview with the author mentioned: "I killed my first man at the age of twelve. I do not remember why I killed him. He was bothering me and I killed him.As son of a chieftain, I am entitled to it."

Balochs are around 40%. There are Pashtuns, Sindhi speakers, settlers and other communities. Why do think they will join you. Your recipe is a recipe for destruction. It will force other communities to distance from these dummy liberation armies and further fragment you and give an incentive to others to move to Balochistan to save Pakistan.

jani jamudullah | 12 years ago | Reply

Same situation as in East Pakistan before 1971. Balochis don't have rights on their mineral wealth, no say in federal government policies, no proportionate representation either in government or in army, and they are not even considered human beings in Karachi. Patience has crossed the endurance limits.

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baloch lover | 12 years ago | Reply

@Taj mohammad kakar: dear, that's what i said, please open ur mind. if area was the criteria then canada would have been the world power, dear you don't have water, understand water,(real flowing water), you cannot feed your people. you dont have the technology to excavate the minerals( see what tethron company did, it took all and gave you only 20% approx). This happens to a rich man with no know how and power,he gets looted. my dear Pakistan is the name of protection for you otherwise there are nations who will tear u apart. don't quote one example that's what stubborn people do, they don't accept own mistakes and keep on blaming others, OK , please tell me why there are missing people. Don't you think that there is some reason, by the way mr kakar why dont you mentioned thousands of settlers who were murdered OH! because you were little angry, no problem they were not humans what to mention "muslim brothers". what about those FC men, oh they are stopping you from common crimes so why bother about them. then those bright professors, technicians and doctors who were killed because they were trying to enlighten you people. Actually, innocent are ur bechara politicians who get no lift from center ( there own fingers and head is in Karahi). So let me polightly tell u that every nation have separatist between them but they are honorable people they dont go to foreign powers begging for help. Remember that monkey who ate whole bread while showing to split it equally for two buffoons. A food for thought.

Akthar | 12 years ago | Reply

Hats off man.. Taj, a very nice reply. I agree with you. The Government must immediate address the economy, Agriculture, medical, educational & Infrastructure of Balochistan. Also, no settlers be allowed in Balochistan until Balochis are provided these facilities and are ready to compete with the rest of Pakistan.

Ofcourse, theres no point in blaming foreign hands while its clear there has been lots of injustices done in the region. Unless, we acknowledge, the hatred of the baloch to the Pakis will grow.

Khalid Pathan | 12 years ago | Reply Balochis didn't opt for Pakistan in 1947 and were forced into joining Pakistan. Root cause of most of our problems is that none of the government in Pakistan recognized the role of education in nation building. Instead of helping various nationalities into becoming a nation through proper secular education based on Merit, what was imparted in the name of education was everything except education.Moreover the establishment used religion as a glue to keep culturally different unit together. To add fuel to fire masses were neglected and tribal leaders patronized, this policy has backfired and instead of making Pakistan a Civic society has turned it into a tribal society where the decision making rests with tribal leaders who are in a better position to lead masses against the federation. I see very little hope that this situation can be reversed. For anything to change in Pakistan especially in Balochistan or any other province every other thing has got to change which is quiet difficult.

Mohsin | 12 years ago | Reply

@ Taj Mohammad Kakar: Brilliant piece. I completely second that. I had a chance too to work in Baluchistan and my views aren't any different than what you have mentioned.

kamran | 12 years ago | Reply

@Taj mohammad kakar: Highly articulate, an apt answer

Taj mohammad kakar | 12 years ago | Reply I admit that I am Pakistani unless it gives me my rights. This province covers 47% area of Pakistan. I think it is more than enough to establish an independent country. We have everything which is pre-requisites for making a country. I am not against Pakistan but I am against its policies. You have cited that neighboring countries are hostile to us. I want to add this in your good knowledge that neighbors are annoyed by Pakistan’s double standard foreign policies. Our warlords have created by whom???? I know our youth is lazy. Do you know why? Listen dear,, we have only one medical college and two Engineering universities. Is this enough to educate/enlighten us as you are? These limited institutions cannot enable us to compete you people. If Mekran division has purchased in 50s then what about Pakistan? We are 2% in pk army. Our bravery is as open as sky to each of you. Recently an army medical college established in Quetta cantt wherein they charge seven lacs rupees from each student. A student named Khalid Marri from kohlu district, a backward part of the province has topped the written test but the concerned administration has dejected his fee concession application. As far as our politicians are concerned, they have periodically state that the federal does not listen/consider our due demands and they are hopeless. So we can not force them to quiet the seats. 5000 persons are missing and just think for a moment about their families. Their families are in miserable condition. Who is responsible? I am khan/Pashtoon. I have just raised the voice of Baloch. We have suffered much than the settlers. Our businesses/agriculture sectors etc are on the brink of devastation. But still we are silent on Baloch’s national cause. If the govt resolves Baloch’s grievances then prosperity will be judged in a short spam of time.

kamran | 12 years ago | Reply

@baloch lover: What a baloch lover who is not ready to accept that ppl in balochistan will turn into a minority, as happened in sindh. in karachi the actual ppl i.e the ppl of lyari, the ppl of the land since centuries, the ghots around karachi, the real ppl of karachi see their plight. Nationalism in the name of Pakistan only suits the Punjab as it helps them dominate. with no natural resources punjabis still have every thing, compare it even with the state of Bahawalpur which had everything b4 they became part of punjab, please compare them now with central punjab. i am a pubjabi but im trying to be dispassionate.

baloch lover | 12 years ago | Reply @Taj mohammad kakar: dear taj, i had the chance to live in the balochistan and observe the problems minutely. Always remeber that untill one does not except own mistakes, problem is never solved and one keep on blaming others. in my opinion following is needed:- 1. Accept that first you are pakistani and then baloch, believe me you just cannot get seperated. logically see your map, where you will go. Iranies and Afghanies are too ruthless. unlike pakistanies they will not placate you. on the other side is arabian sea from where 40% of world oil flows. no power in the world will let stubborn people control it or even let them near to control it. 2. your warlords( tribal heads) have never let u have education, roads, decent life because then how they will earn their lavish life style and their private armies which ae costly to maintain. actually they are eating away your so called share of province wealth. on your name they create panic and seperatest threats, let your children die and enjoy luxurios living here and abroad. 3. now look at your youth which has become too lazy, they dont want to study, compete and work hard, what is the standard of studies in your universaties, medical colleges and institutions you know better then me. if a settelers child get more marks , he is told to leave or be killed. please check the recent report regarding no acces to baluch education institutions in the world education community because of extremely low standards. My dear. why so, because your students are busy in every act other then education in which he is not intrested. 4. now what i am going to tell you will be very difficult to digest but is a fact.In Balochistan, real balochies are only 40%,( got surprised, in fact it was wrong to give this name to province) Makran was bought in some where early 50s from Oman and included in balochistan province( see the appearance, culture and language, some thing odd strikes you). 5. Kindly, don't be a tool in the hands of foreign powers, they will themselves never let u be Independent and only use you. one more thing, we are Pakistanies and we utilize all resources mutually, if you see logically, when we combine are resources we are well off. what you need is to open your minds and see beyond baloch mantra and you will be freed. make your MPAs and MNAS accountable you will see the results. wish you good luck.( please don't blame me with the old allegation that i am a agency man. i am not and i am only the true PAKISTANI and knows that there is nothing outside this identity:)

Taj mohammad kakar | 12 years ago | Reply

In current milieu, the scenario of the strategic province of Pakistan is deteriorating fastly. Because federal govt does not pay attention to the grievances of the baloch. Baloch demands their due rights including, provincial autonomy, rights of no vote to settlers in province because it will convert the locals into minority as happend in karachi with sindhi, control over gawader seaport, locals should be recruited in all micro/macro projects, equal share in revenue/jobs etc at federation. if their demands accepted then there will be no bloodshed/target killings etc.

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