Death and despair in Balochistan
Police officials claim that currently over 70 criminal gangs and numerous insurgent groups are operating in the province. Both of these actors have political supporters. The level of collusion between criminal gangs and politicians is so entrenched that the National Party’s vice-president Senator Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo and Lashkari Raisani allege that provincial ministers patronise criminal gangs.
A recent report by the Balochistan Home Department stated that 1,493 innocent citizens have been killed and 3,313 injured in 1,718 incidents, mostly of targeted killings and sectarian attacks from 2007 to 2012. The report on the deteriorating law and order situation in the province says that militants are spearheading violent activities. The report categorically underlined that particularly since 2007, the insurgent outfits have developed a nexus with criminal gangs operating in the province for financial and outreach reasons.
The report pointed out that banned militant sectarian outfits are also colluding with the insurgents and criminal gangs to enhance their outreach in the area. The first case of kidnapping by Baloch insurgents surfaced in 2009, when the hitherto unknown Balochistan Liberation United Front abducted an American United Nations official, John Solecki, and kept him hostage for two months.
Though it is difficult to establish any direct link between Baloch insurgents and kidnappings for ransom, plenty of evidence on various proponents of violence and crime is available on how these groups move in tandem to mobilise funding from smuggling, extortions, car hijackings, abductions for ransom, and illegal weapons’ trade, which involves heavy machine guns, rocket launchers and grenades.
Nationalist leaders like Mr Bizenjo and Dr Ishaq Baloch believe that the failure of law and order has emerged as the biggest threat to the province. They claim that people carrying ID cards allegedly belonging to intelligence agencies are abusing their authority for personal, financial and political gains. These intelligence operatives are so entrenched and protected that law-enforcement agencies find it difficult to stop them.
“When state institutions begin patronising crime, how can common citizens feel safe?” Bizenjo asked at a recent public consultation in Islamabad.
While Baloch leaders bemoan the federal govrenment’s indifference to their long-standing grievances, they also begrudge the provincial government for inaction and inability to improve governance in the province. Bizenjo and Ishaq Baloch also pointed out that despite having received 170 billion rupees under the Eighteenth Amendment, the provincial government has failed in building on this realignment of relations between the centre and the province. Stalled projects such as Reko Dek, they say, underscore the total disregard for the future of the province.
The state always adopted a ‘fire-fighting’ approach to address the Balochistan issue and never bothered to look into the real issues undermining the overall security situation in the province. Today, although criminals and insurgents have theoretically different agendas and motives, their close operational collaboration enables each other to achieve their respective objectives. One wonders whether there is any real intent and vision in Islamabad to mollify the grievances of the Baloch.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 15th, 2012.
COMMENTS (13)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
So called analysts talk much about national interest but when you ask for their support even do not reply to your email. try and u will find it. Such hypocracy should be ended before advising others or tabling suggestions before others. but who cares.
@Digvijaysingh
The freedom movement in Balochistan is a major hoax perpetrated by the Western media.
And the thousands disappeared and the few reappeared are also a handiwork of western madia?
Care explaining that to the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Imtiaz Gul presenting entirely the opinion of the establishment. A little finding of the truth cant be the complete truth, it needs a thorough effort and investigation. Remember, John Solecky was not abducted for ransom by whatever the group. It was an effort to defame them by establishment, rather he was abducted to highlight the Balochistan issue internationally, to let the UN intervene to stop army, FC & agencies atrocities and killing, abducting of Baloch Youth. You must take the video tape of Solecky to watch while he was under abduction. A single penny was not demanded. Any Baloch group are not involved abduction for ransom.
When the fanatics cry over illusions of slaughter, murder and rape of thousands of kashmiri's at hands of Indian security forces, doesnt the situation and flight of Balochistan come to the mind?
Where are those protectors of Islam faith and human rights now? What does Zaid Hamid and like minded people have to say about this?
When you yourself are killing and raping your own people, why teach moral lessons to others?
Since we are creating new provinces,Balochistan should be divided into multiple provinces one for each Sardar and let them govern their fiefdom by democratically elected people while each sardar acting as Governor.
As the Kashmiris are divided between two countries, so are the Baloch. Why we look at things from our own angle and not see the realities. The Baloch going through this movement since the first day of the forced occupation, and will continue do so as long the reasons are there. I hope the Iranians and Pakistanis realize this fact and stop the blood bath in Balochistan.
@Salma: I see you have criticized the author but not provided counter-arguments. May be it would be more helpful if you were to provide more information on why you believe the information is incomplete.
Quite reasonable article. It very well captures all the actors contributing to the mess: sectarian groups, militant groups, crime syndicates, establishment, and politicians. It is highly likely that situation in the province won't improve till sincere politicians are brought on board (which will also weaken establishment's stranglehold over the province).
a very partial view by someone like imtiaz gul!!! what about the kidnappings and car jacking under the patronage of ministers - wish these writers are more responsible and don't do incomplete research and end up providing half truth (equal to a lie)
It is an open secret who has started and perpetuated the killings of Baloch youth and who has killed Akbar Bugti? Who has kidnapped, tortured and dumped the bodies of common youth? Even the SC has made the comments about the establishment doing these atrocities. Unless the perpetrators of these atrocities are reined in no political govt or leader has the powers to control them. The courts are the last hope and instead of making populist statements they must write the verdicts.
Since the army operation of 2006, the province is facing massive insurgency activities on one hand and rise of various criminal groups on the other hand. The writ of the government is zero. The only solution of Balochistan problem is "pure-representative government", such government can come through fair-elections, and chances of occurrence of such fair-elections are bleak in Balochistan.
The Memogate, PM's contempt cases, three decades old Swiss case and Bilawal's speech at his grandfather's death aniversary are the most imp for the SC to notice. Balochistan and all the murders of minority sects are normal business and does not require any notice or action by the SC. Suo motu is reserved against the elected govt not to protect M. Mai or the general public.