Pakistan

Malik says govt will use brute force

Malik said the government will use brute force to to control the escalating violence in Balochistan.

Shezad Baloch September 08, 2010

QUETTA:

Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Tuesday warned that the government would take tougher action and use brute force if necessary to control the escalating violence and unrest in Balochistan.

Talking to the media at Quetta Airport, the minister said that although the federal government had exhausted its efforts to convince all the stakeholders to curb lawlessness its efforts have gone to waste. “Now the government will use brute force to retain peace in Balochistan because the incident of bomb blasts and target killings have been increasing significantly by each passing day,” he said.

“The Baloch Liberation Army and Baloch Student Organisation have replaced political parties and so the law enforcement agencies need to take an action against them,” he added.

Malik said that the prime minister has asked him to revive peace in Balochistan, just as “peace has been revived in Karachi.” He said that Lashkar-i-Jhangvi is behind the attacks that have taken place in Quetta and Lahore. “We have to break up the triangle of Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and al Qaeda. Peace cannot be restored otherwise,” he said.

Condemning the suicide attack on an al Quds rally that took place on Friday in Quetta, Malik said that an investigation is being carried out. Commenting on banning religious processions or rallies Malik said, “I am not against the religious processions but it needs to be realised that the police cannot provide protection to each and every person in a procession thus the size of the gathering needs to be downsized. Malik said he will not support a ban on processions and religious gatherings but will suggest restriction.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 8^th, 2010.

COMMENTS (5)

Shiraz Moughal | 13 years ago | Reply Now that's something I was not expecting from this government. Go a head man fix this problem for all Pakistan. Now for the people want freedom from Pakistan, "You can leave this country and go anywhere else, because all four or five provinces are Pakistan." I'm sick and tired of Bloch, not all though, saying Pakistan has taken all our rights... well everyone else don't kill there Professors, so if you want to live in stone age, its really your problem not everyone else. I mean only 8% women are educated in Baluchistan its really pathetic, and men can't be more then 20%, its an educated guess. Now these criminal elements like BLA and all others - what mind set! They are nothing more then, those rebels in Turkey, Kurds. So turkey is killing day in and out. BLA associates should also meet the same fate. GET SOME!

Imran Khan | 13 years ago | Reply Malik is repeating the words of Musharraf. It means Musharraf took right dissions about Balochistan operation. I think the operation is not the only solution. there are many other thing to be address. Balochs are very poor in their education, infrastructure, health and basic necessities etc. If Govt is going to launch an Army operation then they should also think about the situation which would come after that. they must arrang all possible means to uplift the life of poor Balochs. otherwise they can never stop it(terrorism).