Balochistan killings

The cold-blooded shooting in Gwadar of 11 people trying to cross the Iranian border in search of work, once again, highlights the precarious law-and-order situation in Balochistan. The military will undoubtedly try to pin the blame for the attack on separatist groups but right now we have no idea who is responsible. Indeed, the nature of the attack makes it seem likely that this was the work of a criminal gang since there seems to be no political reason to kill these people. The questions raised by these attacks have nothing to do with autonomy or independence for Balochistan; rather, they emphasise just how ineffective security forces are in the province and the country at large.

The attack also raises the issue of human smuggling as a problem. It is likely that these prospective migrants paid a criminal gang significant amounts of money to flee the country. It is also believed that law-enforcement officials are in cahoots with the gangs and get their cut of the money, too. Despite this protection money, those fleeing have no guarantee of safety. In addition to finding out who is responsible for the attack, there also needs to be an investigation of security officials to find out if they profit off the human smuggling trade. There has previously been some evidence that there was official involvement or, at best, negligence in the smuggling of camel jockeys to the Arab states and there is every possibility of that being the case in Balochistan, too.

The best way to put an end to human smuggling is by simply providing enough opportunities at home that no one feels the need to take the risky journey to another country just to find employment. This is where there are lots of scope for improvement in Balochistan. The vast reserve of natural resources in the province should make it a haven for locals but they have been systematically excluded from the bounty at home. Balochistan’s resources should belong to its people and this includes allowing them to work on projects that seek to tap these resources. The rate of unemployment in Balochistan is the highest in the country, coming close to 20 per cent. To prevent future massacres of economic migrants, this figure needs to be lowered immediately.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 26^th, 2012.