Stop lying about the Baloch issue

[StormShadow]

[SUB]The writer is chairperson of the History Department at Forman Christian College Lahore[/SUB]​

Balochistan has hit the news again and as usual, everyone is ‘talking’ about the ‘issue’ and not doing anything. Everyone says that we need to have ‘dialogue’ and grant the Baloch their ‘rights’ but not a single politician is prepared to actually initiate the dialogue or honestly grant them their rights. Every single government has talked about ‘solving’ the issue, but has only aggravated the situation. Why has this happened? One simple reason is that we keep lying to ourselves and the Baloch about simply everything. While the list is long, let me highlight just a few issues which need to be admitted in order to even initiate a solution to the problem.

First, the Baloch insurgency is not new and while it has friends abroad, is not foreign-led. The Baloch have risen in revolt in 1948, 1958, the 1960s, 1973-7, and now since 2005. Five revolts since the inception of Pakistan are a clear indication that this is something significant and local. Yes, it is true that several Baloch leaders have friends in India, but to believe that India has been supporting an insurgency for the last 60 years and has still not been able to dismember Pakistan is simply disingenuous. Official Pakistani versions of history blame India for the separation of East Pakistan, so if India does indeed know how to dismember Pakistan, I wonder why it is not using the same tactics to the same level of success in this case? Therefore, we need to stop passing the buck and accept that the Baloch insurgency is a local issue.

Secondly, distrust of Pakistan, let alone of the Punjabis, and the establishment runs deep in the Baloch psyche. Some opinions hold that the Baloch lands never really wanted to become a part of Pakistan and months of scheming by the latter and pressure on the Khan of Kalat, led to its accession. Also, the Baloch are not simply going to forget that they were the last people to get natural gas from their own lands, and that the royalty for that gas was almost half of what was given elsewhere. They are also not going to forget the thousands of people killed by the Pakistani state since 1948. Resistance against the Pakistani state has almost become part of the Baloch identity and is not easy to shake off. Therefore, Pakistan needs to come up with a new and creative way to deal with the issue. The Baloch might want to remain in Pakistan, but for that to happen, Pakistan needs to create a new dispensation. The current political and constitutional framework has not worked for them and trying to impose it again will not work. A new method needs to be devised, which gives the Baloch maximum autonomy and satisfies their will of self-rule. Pakistan simply needs to understand that keeping people in the federation against their will and without their agreement is not a viable option and will only lead to further internal disintegration and violence.

Thirdly, the government needs to seriously consider the six points elucidated by Akhtar Mengal. The fact that Mengal came to Pakistan from exile to present his case before the Supreme Court shows that he, and I hope other Baloch leaders, are willing to compromise. However, rather than immediately picking up on the six points and meeting Mengal, the government is yet to respond to the points, and the prime minister and the president have yet to meet Mengal. To even begin to solve the issue, the government needs to publicly, unequivocally and substantially, take action on these points.

Fourthly, the issue is at the moment a ‘Baloch’ issue. Due to historic and other reasons, the Pashtuns of Balochistan have not risen up in revolt against Pakistan. However, the current state of the province is affecting the Pashtuns badly and could translate into an armed revolt against Pakistan.

Akhtar Mengal has compared the Baloch situation to that of East Pakistan and has warned of a ‘divorce’ if his sensible plan goes unheeded. We have already suffered a dismemberment of Pakistan; do we really want to bury our heads in the sand, lie and ignore, while only talking about this issue too?

Stop lying about the Baloch issue – The Express Tribune

 

[illusion8]

Al Jazeera World - Balochistan: Pakistan's other war - YouTube

 

[Developereo]

The article is a waste of time; it's long on opinion and short on facts, which means there is precious little substance in it to address or refute.

 

[Jango]

Article does not have any substance or logical argument to put forward. It is the usual ET rubbish.

There are much more people killed from other provinces as well due to various issues. All the killed weren't innocent girls either.

Their tribal lords are much more of a problem than the government IMO!

 

[OrionHunter]

Zardari recently talked about Kashmir at the UN, the hidden agenda along with that lame duck Hurriyat Conference of Kashmir being to assimilate Jammu and Kashmir into Pakistan!

The point is, Pakistan can't even sort out Balochistan and they want to have Kashmir too, just because it is a Muslim majority state? But so is Balochistan, but what about the Muslims there? Are they getting a fair deal? Nope! Not since 1948!

 

[FaujHistorian]

[SUB]The writer is chairperson of the History Department at Forman Christian College Lahore[/SUB]


Balochistan has hit the news again and as usual, everyone is ‘talking’ about the ‘issue’ and not doing anything. ..
Stop lying about the Baloch issue – The Express Tribune

Off course we should not blame others unless we have clear evidence.

Our law enforcement agencies are all over Balochistan. If Indians are doing something fishy, then we must haul Indian @rse to UNO. No more fing statements in the news media.

Provinces are like part of the family. You don't go around shouting that Mr. X has abused my family member.

Big country like Pakistan should do more than just shouting. We need to bomb and attack anyone who dares abuse any of our family members.

Ruling a country is a serious business. No more newspaper statements from our PPP gov.

However this author and others are wrong when they compare East Pakistan with Balochistan. I'll not go into details. But these two should not be discussed at the same time especially by Pakistanis. This would bring in HUGE amount of negative emotions from both sides and we will never get a resolution.


peace

p.s. I believe Baloch issue is 90% local with 10% foreign hand. Let's take care of 90% first. I say 10% foreign because Baloch insurgents get their money from our so-called brothers aka Gulf countries.

 

[OrionHunter]

The article is a waste of time; it's long on opinion and short on facts, which means there is precious little substance in it to address or refute.

Talking of substance, what about this program, 'Capital Talk, 2012' on Geo TV regarding Balochistan? I can't comment since I know squat about Balochistan. But this discussion is interesting especially at 8:15.

So what do you say?

 

[DV RULES]

[SUB]The writer is chairperson of the History Department at Forman Christian College Lahore[/SUB]​

Balochistan has hit the news again and as usual, everyone is ‘talking’ about the ‘issue’ and not doing anything. Everyone says that we need to have ‘dialogue’ and grant the Baloch their ‘rights’ but not a single politician is prepared to actually initiate the dialogue or honestly grant them their rights. Every single government has talked about ‘solving’ the issue, but has only aggravated the situation. Why has this happened? One simple reason is that we keep lying to ourselves and the Baloch about simply everything. While the list is long, let me highlight just a few issues which need to be admitted in order to even initiate a solution to the problem.


Stop lying about the Baloch issue – The Express Tribune

Akhtar Mengal phobia article, They started quickly about Blochistan-EastPakistan in trance of Mengal's speech but couldn't started to think from where and on which strategies all this came out and how to tackle.

It is damn needed to filter media in Pakistan because these Mengal type creatures may not harm Pakistan but Media.

 

[Developereo]

So what do you say?

I didn't watch it but is there anything new which hasn't already been refuted in the many threads about Baluchistan?

Out of 70+ tribes, only 3 are anti-Pakistan and they DO receive foreign support. Much of the killing and hatemongering is done by the separatists themselves. This does not excuse extrajudicial activity by the State, but the SC is very much on the State's case about this.

The issue of compensation and economic disadvantage is acknowledged by Pakistan but, here too, some of the biggest challenges are posed by the sardars themselves who want to keep their own people poor and uneducated.

 

[FaujHistorian]

I didn't watch it but is there anything new which hasn't already been refuted in the many threads about Baluchistan?

Out of 70+ tribes, only 3 are anti-Pakistan and they DO receive foreign support. Much of the killing and hatemongering is done by the separatists themselves. This does not excuse extrajudicial activity by the State, but the SC is very much on the State's case about this.

The issue of compensation and economic disadvantage is acknowledged by Pakistan but, here too, some of the biggest challenges are posed by the sardars themselves who want to keep their own people poor and uneducated.

Well said. Why 3 out of 70 tribes want to rule the whole of Balochistan.

However on the flip side, we the Pakistanis have failed to uplift the common man in the areas of relatively better and peaceful tribes. And that's a shame.

Another point in this debate is the condition of iranian Balochis.

Iran is much smaller country with much more resources. Even then their Balochis are living worse (or similar) to ours when it comes to economic conditions. Politically Iranian balochis do not get anything, whereas Pakistan has given political representation at provincial level as well as federal level.

They hang separatist balochis without 1 second of hesitation, while we are sitting down with them and these Mengals shove 6 points in our face.


Where is the justice and equality then? We become bad because we listen and respect, while Iranians get all the brownie points even when they kill the very same type of balochis?

When will balochis realize this. And when will their Indian pithus post anti-iran videos?


peace if possible,

 

[Developereo]

Well said. Why 3 out of 70 tribes want to rule the whole of Balochistan.

However on the flip side, we the Pakistanis have failed to uplift the common man in the areas of relatively better and peaceful tribes. And that's a shame.

Another point in this debate is the condition of iranian Balochis.

Iran is much smaller country with much more resources. Even then their Balochis are living worse (or similar) to ours when it comes to economic conditions. Politically Iranian balochis do not get anything, whereas Pakistan has given political representation at provincial level as well as federal level.

They hang separatist balochis without 1 second of hesitation, while we are sitting down with them and these Mengals shove 6 points in our face.


Where is the justice and equality then? We become bad because we listen and respect, while Iranians get all the brownie points even when they kill the very same type of balochis?

When will balochis realize this. And when will their Indian pithus post anti-iran videos?


peace if possible,

The failures of governance in Pakistan are systemic and nationwide. It's just that the feudal elite can't afford to neglect the major provinces lest the popular revolt upset the apple cart. So they dole out just enough pittance to keep Sindh and Punjab relatively calm, but completely neglect the other provinces.

As for Indians and Iran, we all know their 'concern' for Baluchistan is not because they care about the Baluch, but because they hate Pakistan. Here, too, Pakistan should share any evidence of Indian complicity in Baluchistan with the Iranians; that would put a damper on Indo-Iranian ties.

 

[StormShadow]

Well said. Why 3 out of 70 tribes want to rule the whole of Balochistan.

However on the flip side, we the Pakistanis have failed to uplift the common man in the areas of relatively better and peaceful tribes. And that's a shame.

Another point in this debate is the condition of iranian Balochis.

Iran is much smaller country with much more resources. Even then their Balochis are living worse (or similar) to ours when it comes to economic conditions. Politically Iranian balochis do not get anything, whereas Pakistan has given political representation at provincial level as well as federal level.

They hang separatist balochis without 1 second of hesitation, while we are sitting down with them and these Mengals shove 6 points in our face.


Where is the justice and equality then? We become bad because we listen and respect, while Iranians get all the brownie points even when they kill the very same type of balochis?

When will balochis realize this. And when will their Indian pithus post anti-iran videos?


peace if possible,

Ah stop it!! Listen and respect!!?? Here is the latest regarding the Balochis...hatts off to the "respect". Taking the meaning of respect to whole new level!

QUETTA: Journalists across Pakistan staged protest rallies Tuesday to condemn the killing of a television reporter in insurgency-torn Balochistan.

Police said Abdul Haq Baloch, 37, who worked for private TV channel ARY, was shot late Saturday while driving home in the town of Khuzdar, 230 kilometres south of the provincial capital Quetta.

Journalists said masked men opened fire on his car around 100 yards from the local press club. Police officer Abdul Qadir Kamrani confirmed the killing and told AFP that Baloch died of his injuries en route to hospital.

Police have registered a case against “unidentified gunmen”.

Balochistan is one of Pakistan’s most deprived areas. Separatist rebels have been fighting since 2004 for autonomy and a greater share of oil, gas and mineral deposits in the southwestern province.

Human rights groups say hundreds have been detained, killed or gone missing as government forces try to crush the uprising by ethnic Baloch groups.

Farooq Faisal, president of the national press club, said journalists were protesting against extremely difficult working conditions in Balochistan and northwest Pakistan, where a Taliban insurgency is concentrated.

“Armed groups are threatening journalists but the government is taking no step for their protection,” Faisal told AFP.
Nadeem Gorgnari, president of the Khuzdar press club, told AFP that Baluch and the club had received threatening telephone calls

Journalists protest over reporter’s killing in Balochistan | DAWN.COM

 

[Jango]

That journalist was receiving death threats from a Balochistan something party. Not ISI or anything.

Just take a deep breath and think, who was at risk from journos giving the public of Balochistan some awareness and knowledge about their conditions and the feudal sardars?

The sardars themselves. Bughti, MArri etc etc. They will feel threatened if somebody comes and tells their people about their living conditions and those of the rest of the country. A person who is employed as a cook by my relative frequently tells stories like these. When he first came to us, he didn't know most of the things. A/C, geyser, etc etc \. This is how these people are kept in darkness.

 

[AHMED85]

It is Reality we should not allow any one to destabilizing Baluchistan...

every loyal inside Pakistan had committed.

It is also fact with out foreign hands no one have sufficient chance to derailing this part...

 

[ajtr]

Traitors, aren’t they?

Sardar Akhtar Mengal wanted to appear in the case of forced disappearances in Balochistan being heard in the Supreme Court. He was granted audience. Once in Islamabad, besides appearing in the court to give his testimony, he met a number of politicians, held a press conference and spoke to many journalists and commentators. He propounded his six points to move forward on Balochistan and to help resolve the current crisis.

Around the same time, the government and security agencies submitted to the court that no military operation, forced disappearances or extra-judicial murders are taking place in the province. They out rightly rejected the claims made by Baloch nationalists and rights activists about their persecution and denied all allegations levelled against the military, paramilitary and law-enforcing agencies.

The head of the Balochistan National Party, Akhtar Mengal is veteran Baloch leader Sardar Attaullah Mengal’s son. He was the chief minister of the province in the late 1990s. He was arrested in 2006 during Gen Musharraf’s regime and released in 2008 after the incumbent government was elected. The points he presented in Islamabad are neither new nor have any unconstitutional air about them. They are simple, practical and only for the short run.

They ask for all overt and covert military operations to end, forced disappearances and elimination of Baloch political workers to stop, those disappeared should be released, role of intelligence agencies in the governance and politics of Balochistan to be curbed, Baloch political parties to be allowed to function without interference, and, those poor Baloch who are displaced by conflict must be rehabilitated with respect.

But what do you do when the other side is in complete denial and says nothing of the sort is happening in Balochistan that Mengal refers to? Also, when the other side represents no one less but the State of Pakistan itself? That’s what you call a stalemate.

Contrary to popular rhetoric, I see little in common between the situation in Balochistan and the former East Pakistan – the reason being that Bengalis were in a majority and when the majority is denied their due share in power and resources, the dynamic is very different. Technically, the creation of Bangladesh cannot be called secession from Pakistan either.

Because the majority of people living in united Pakistan was pushed to have a separate country, making them into Bangladesh and us into the Islamic Republic of (West) Pakistan. If they had decided to keep the name of Pakistan, we would have been in a quandary.

We must also recognise that from day one, a fair segment of the West Pakistani elite, dominated by north Indian immigrant bureaucracy and the Punjabi feudal, wanted to get rid of East Pakistan. There was a sinister propaganda in the western wing of the country that East Pakistan bleeds Pakistan’s economy. For the Pakistani elite today, particularly the civil and military establishment, Balochistan is of paramount importance due to its economic resources. The case is different from that of East Pakistan.

Although Balochistan is spread over 45 percent of Pakistan’s landmass, it is the least populous province in the country. It is ethnically diverse and not as homogenous as East Pakistan was. The issue is not with the whole of Balochistan as a province or administrative region but with the denial of the rights of Baloch as a people who constitute the majority of population in the province and inhabit most of its land.

The forced annexation of the Kalat state, instead of a peaceful, democratic process of annexation through negotiation, had happened soon after the creation of Pakistan. Quaid-i-Azam was perhaps in a hurry. This did not sit well with many Baloch political workers and intellectuals of that time. However, the real trouble began when the Pakistani establishment under Gen Ayub Khan started dealing with the Baloch leadership with extreme disgrace and utter contempt.

The worst incident of all until then was the breaking of oath with Nauroz Khan, the chief of the Zehri tribe in Jhalawan. When during the armed struggle of 1960 to resist one-unit in West Pakistan and the usurpation of Baloch rights by the central government, Nauroz Khan was putting up resistance in one of the battles. Pakistani military swore an oath and urged Nauroz to surrender and prepare for negotiations. Nauroz Khan was betrayed, he and his sons arrested and no amnesty was granted. His sons were hanged in Hyderabad and Sukkur. He died a shocked man soon after in 1962.

Civilian Z A Bhutto, who was to be hanged himself by a military dictator, and his successors, Gen Zia-ul-Haq and Gen Pervez Musharraf, were no different from Gen Ayub Khan when it came to making an attempt to understand, let alone respect, the rights of the Baloch people. Ironically, Nawab Akbar Bugti worked closely with the Pakistani establishment just a few years before turning against it. The state couldn’t keep him happy either. And now, all of a sudden, a section of twisted right-wing politicians and journalists have started saying that Bugti in fact blew himself up. There should be a judicial commission to investigate his death. Why wasn’t this raised in the last six years?

Today, there may well be a foreign involvement in Balochistan as the interior minister Rehman Malik insists. But the foreigners can only train and arm the insurgents. Who produces them? The Pakistani establishment does by its own folly. And it refuses to learn. Simply refuses. Malik needs to remind himself that there was a time when Akbar Bugti was Pakistan’s minister of state for interior.

While Mengal was in Islamabad, we were told day in and day out by the self-proclaimed custodians of the ideology of the Islamic Republic, the pseudo-intellectuals who believe in a caliphate that never was, that the struggle in Balochistan is for the rights of the sardars and not for the rights of the people. This is believed and reverberated by those who live in the palatial homes of Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad and cook their chapattis on piped natural gas from Balochistan. They loathe Baloch sardars for their cruelty and sympathise with Baloch masses for their innocence.

At the same time they treat their own domestic servants like dirt and those who own land back home in a village, find no problem in keeping low caste musallis working on their farms without paying them anything close to a decent wage.

Let me just recall what the Baloch demanded from the Pakistani authorities led by Gen Ayub Khan in 1963 and many months after the death of Nauroz Khan. This was the time when from Sardar Khair Bakhsh Marri to poet Gul Khan Naseer, many prominent Baloch rights campaigners were imprisoned.

The Baloch leadership sent a memorandum to the General with a list of demands. The document was drafted by Sardar Sherbaz Mazari while Maulana Bhashani, the veteran leftist leader from East Pakistan, was the emissary. The Baloch asked for the release of prisoners and restoration of their confiscated property, creation of a university in the province, making school education compulsory and free, construction of a college in each district, a high school in each tehsil, a primary school in each village, a dispensary in a sizeable village, a hospital in each tehsil, construction of roads in the province and the development of local harbours and fisheries. They demanded that government servants of lower grades must be domiciled in Balochistan and local labour is recruited on developmental projects. How seditious and unconstitutional!