Re: Balochistan
http://blogs.dunyanews.tv/?p=644
**Bleeding and Blazing Balochistan
****Almost daily, something unfortunate and depressing emanates from insurgency-torn Balochistan but easily goes unnoticed by ruling elite of the province and centre too. The appalling incidents fail to move people sitting at the helm of affairs for some viable solutions to the protracted ailment. It seems the ruling elite have virtually left people of the province at mercy of bigotry and brutal forces for completion of their ‘mission.’ Perhaps, they have been waiting for fall of the province while lying in their cozy bed rooms just like the breaking away of East Pakistan.Otherwise, the recurring heartbreaking incidents have moved them to take some concrete action.
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**Killings, kidnappings, bomb explosions, rapes at the hands of influential, kidnapping for ransom, dacoities, recovery of mutilated bodies of civilians — name any crime you can easily find rampant in the province. The deteriorating law and order situation has been forcing people either to migrate to other parts of the country or left for abroad for a peaceful life.
**Although, the ratio of shifting abroad is miniscule as hapless residents cannot simply afford it. **Nevertheless, some war lords have gone into hiding in Afghanistan and other tribal areas from where they have been controlling their militias effectively. **Thanks to criminal negligence of our so-called public representatives and myopic civilian and military leadership in handling the situation. They have rather contributed in exacerbating the matter by keeping mum on the daily painful incidents and atrocities being committed against innocent people of the province. Extremists and militants have, however, started targeting ruling elites of the province too and some recent high-profile killings are proof of it. But even then no concrete steps are being taken to curtail the menace — or at least we are unaware of the inclusive strategy adopted by the relevant authorities, if any.
For the past quite sometime, another ominous factor of sectarian violence has added up to the long list of oppressions and suppressions already unbridled there. Our detractors continue changing their strategies of inflicting miseries and melancholies to the people through recurring incidents of violence but so-called public representatives just appear silent spectators. They issue cosmetic statements following the horrific occurrences and that is all.
In the recent spree of violence — seemingly sectarian in nature — as many as 20 people were killed and more than 50 injured in just two days. Around nine members of the Hazara community were killed on July 29 by ‘unidentified’ assailants who ambushed and targeted their vehicle from another car. Another 11 people, all from Shiite community and including a woman were killed in a similar attack on the very next day. Both the incidents did not take place in some far-flung areas of the province but in the provincial headquarters, Quetta. The city is relatively considered peaceful and serene but not immune to the violent acts.
According to media reports, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi — one of the proscribed outfits and notorious for its sectarian acts across Pakistan — has claimed responsibilities of these attacks. Ali Sher Haideri, who claimed to be spokesperson of the organization, called offices of different newspapers and television channels and claimed his outfit had carried out the attacks and said that assaults on the Shiite community would continue.
Is there any crackdown being planned against activists of the outfit? Have the authorities devised any viable strategy to prevent repetition of such incidents? The authorities often blame a foreign hand in terror-related incidents. **Who will unearth the foreign hand? Who is responsible to protect life and property of citizens? Human Rights Watch (HRW) and scores of other national and international organizations, experts and think tanks have repeatedly warned the government against atrocities inflicted to the innocent people and their possible repercussions but all in vain. The inept and corrupt rulers just appear to rely on tall claims and strident statements, perhaps for their own vested interests.
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Otherwise, it is quite possible to curtail activities of the proscribed outfit and other militant groups and militias but it all demands sincerity, devotion and strong commitment to achieve the results. There is a dire need to reconcile the disenchanted groups of the province and resolve their genuine grievances at the earliest. Mere statements of doing their best for prosperity and alleviation of people predicaments are not going to work. PPP-led coalition government deserves credit for taking some remedial steps but they have to go an extra mile in repairing dents created in souls and minds of the people over the years before it gets too late.
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