The Balochistan issue

[Zob]

While Everyone seems to be concerned with TALIBAN...i don't see anyone acknowledging the REAL THREAT TO PAKISTAN.....and the lack of talk on the issue makes me wonder are we again about to disown a PROVINCE of ours....a province that is the largest and is filled with vast amount of resources....are we looking towards the North West while South West of our country is nearly god forbid decalred independence from Pakistan....why is the government the citizens of Pakistan oblivious to such a big problem....why are Balcohis anti PAKISTANI now!!!!



PAKISTAN: Outsiders flee violence-stricken Balochistan after nationalist murders 12 Apr 2009 12:42:16 GMT
Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author's alone.
QUETTA, 12 April 2009 (IRIN) - Ongoing widespread violence in Balochistan Province, southwestern Pakistan, is severely disrupting daily life and forcing many non-Balochis to flee in fear of their lives, residents say.

Ansar Pervaiz, 50, who has lived in provincial capital Quetta for the past 20 years, said he will leave the area for at least a fortnight.

"It's just not safe here at the moment for those who are not Balochi. I am from Punjab [a bordering Pakistani province] and will be taking my wife and three daughters there. I work as a draughtsman and it is a risk to be out at building sites. We will see later what happens," he told IRIN.

Three days of violence and riots across Balochistan, in which at least 11 people have been killed and scores injured, were triggered by the discovery on 9 April of the mutilated bodies of three prominent Balochi nationalist leaders in Turbat town, about 1,000 km south of Quetta. Banks, post offices, government buildings and dozens of vehicles were set ablaze in towns and cities across the province. Educational institutions have been shut and life badly disrupted.

Spread out over 347,190 sqkm (about the same size as Germany) and with a population of 10 million, Balochistan is the largest but least developed of Pakistan's four provinces. The region has a long history of conflict between nationalist groups, who say they are fighting for the rights of the Baloch people, and state forces.

The Pakistan government has condemned the murders and called for a full inquiry.

Pakistan's Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), which speaks for the military, has blamed the deaths on un-named 'anti-state elements' out to sabotage the government's reconciliatory efforts in Balochistan. But others are not so sure.

"The facts strongly suggest that members of state security picked up the three victims and tortured and killed them before dumping their dead bodies, which were discovered in a mutilated and decayed form," Asma Jahangir, chairperson of the autonomous Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, said.

Trapped and scared

In the town of Khuzdar, some 300 km southeast of Quetta and where a policeman was shot dead on 9 April by rioters, Rasheeda Bibi, 35, told IRIN over the phone: "I am in our house with my elderly parents-in-law and three young children. My husband went to work in Quetta and is stranded because transport is disrupted. We have been too scared even to go out and buy groceries because protesters have been creating havoc everywhere."

While some of the violence has been directed at state institutions and infrastructure, some has been targeting non-Balochis. On 12 April, the bodies of six coal miners who had all been shot in the head were discovered in a village some 50 km east of Quetta. Police official Abdul Malik told the media that the miners were all from other provinces, with four reported to have come from Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Balochistan houses a significant number of people from the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and other areas.

"We come here just to earn a living. I have a job at a shop here in Quetta. We have no link to politics, but it's frightening when there is violence like this and the Balochi blame non-Balochi," Junaid Khan, who comes from NWFP capital Peshawar, said.

Four policemen were also shot dead on 12 April in the eastern Balochistan town of Jaffarabad.

International reaction has been swift. "The Pakistan government's ongoing failure to address the issue of enforced disappearances in Balochistan has led to Thursday's [9 April] tragic events," Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific director, said.

The US Embassy in Islamabad has called for an investigation and said one of the murdered leaders had played a role in securing the release of UN official John Solecki, abducted several weeks ago in Quetta. The US national was released days ago and has returned home.

Reuters AlertNet - PAKISTAN: Outsiders flee violence-stricken Balochistan after nationalist murders

 

[Zob]

QUETTA - Riots erupted in Balochistan that left a policeman dead and several others injured Thursday, as public anger boiled over following the murder of three nationalist politicians.
News of the killings sparked protests and violent riots in several cities across Balochistan.
The mutilated bodies of the nationalist Baloch leaders, who, supporters alleged, were picked up by intelligence agents in Turbat on April 4, were found dumped in a remote location on the outskirts of the southwest town, a party official said.
The leaders were President Baloch National Movement Ghulam Muhammad Baloch, member of Central Executive Committee of party Lala Munir Baloch and Central leader of Baloch Republican Party (BRP) Sher Muhammad Baloch.
According to police sources, the bodies of the slain leaders were recovered from a rural mountainous area of Paidarek some 40 kilometres away from Turbat town and were shifted to a hospital where they were identified by their kins.
They were allegedly whisked away by personnel of the secret agencies in plain-clothes from the chamber of Kachkol Ali Advocate, the former Opposition leader of Balochistan Assembly on April 4.
After the autopsy, the bodies were handed over to the heirs and were carried to their ancestral towns.
Ghulam Muhammad Baloch and Sher Muhammad Baloch were laid to rest at Mand while Lala Munir was buried at Punjgur.
Ghulam Muhammad was also a member of ‘Baloch Dost Committee’ which was formed for the recovery of missing Baloch men and women and he had played a vital role in the release of UNCHR official John Solecki.
The killing of three Baloch nationalist leaders sparked public outrage throughout the province.
Furious protesters took to the streets in Quetta and several other towns of Balochistan. Angry mobs in Quetta set ablaze six vehicles at Sariab Road, Brewery Road and Sheikh Manda while a shop and a bank were also set on fire.
All markets and business activities came to a standstill at Sariab Road and Brewry Road as rioters started pelting stones at private vehicles and forced the shopkeepers to close down their businesses.
Balochistan Bar Association boycotted the court proceedings and took out a protest rally led by President Supreme Court Bar Association Ali Ahmad Kurd and other lawyers. After marching through various roads they gathered outside Quetta Press Club and strongly condemned killing of the Baloch leaders.
They announced to observe three-day mourning over the tragic incident and a complete boycott of courts on April 13.
Heavy contingents of police, Frontier Corps, Balochistan Constabulary and other law-enforcement agencies were deployed at different sensitive areas in Quetta to thwart any untoward incident.
Police at Sariab Road and Brewery Road resorted to tear gas to disperse the protesters and arrested around two dozen activists on charges of ransacking from Quetta and other towns.


Riots spread in Balochistan | Pakistan | News | Newspaper | Daily | English | Online

 

[Zob]

The silence on the ISSUE i guess says it all no one seems to feel like talking about this issue everyone is talking about TALIBAN SWAT NWFP....i say atleast no pathan has asked for freedom for pakistan like the BALOCHIS.... i wonder do we really not care anymore....

 

[Elmo]

Firstly Zob, even though the IRIN article calls people from other provinces outsiders, I'd prefer the term settlers. Some of these people who are now moving out have been residents of Quetta for three generations.
Yes, the Balochs are neglected and hence the insurgency taking place there. But I guess no one is paying attention to them because they don't threaten our ideology or demand the establishment of a theocratic state. The Baloch insurgency, quelled many times since the 1970s, has a low impact factor and doesn't shake the foundations of the existence of the country.
Remember how Akbar Bugti's killing in August 2006 led to violence in Quetta and the rest of Balochistan... just about everyone predicted that the insurgency will increase in its intensity but that hasn't happened. It still does not have the support which is needed to bring an overhaul. Many of its leaders are clandestinely supported by sitting members of the national and provincial assemblies — who play a double game and have the support of the centre/federal government.
Probably the Baloch still do support the nationalists' movement but we can’t be too sure about their point of view (interestingly, no one from the media is allowed to enter Dera Bugti even after two and a half years of Bugti's death). The government has imposed many restriction on the reporting from there though reports of human rights violaions do surface from time to time.
Just in the last week of February, mutilated bodies of eight Baloch were found in different areas close to the Pak-Afghan border (Sarlath area of Naushki district and Khanozai in Pishin district.) Earlier a Baloch nationalist leader claimed that Zarina Marri, a schoolteacher, being detained and sexually molested by an army major (though the army vehemently denied this).


P.S. Need to clarify this: the state of Kalat, which was eventually split into three districts, was the last to join Pakistan in 1950/1951 (don't remember the exact date). The Khan of Kalat was undoubtedly generous. However, your last comment cannot be justified. There is no documented evidence of the Balochs being superior to the Pathans and vice versa in the movement for independence.

 

[Bane Blade]

Senate in-camera Balochistan situation briefing tomorrow
Updated at: 1454 PST, Wednesday, April 22, 2009
ISLAMABAD: The Senate today approved here Federal Interior Advisor, Rahman Malik’s in-camera briefing on Balochistan situation at 11.00 A.M. tomorrow.

Interior Advisor, Rahman Malik today giving a policy statement in the Senate said that no operation was underway in Balochistan, but the eyes could not be kept closed from the province and bordering areas. He said Pakistan was not made for supporting the independence movement over here.

The interior advisor said that complaints of the Baloch brothers were being addressed, as President Asif Ali Zardari and the Prime Minister, Yusuf Raza Gilani were in constant communication with the top leaderships of Balochistan. The President in his meeting with the Blaoch leaders had accepted their rights and demands and gave a Rs4 billion development package, while the prime minister had written off the amount in arrears against Blaochistan.

Referring to the missing persons, interior advisor said that not thousands in Balochistan, but 831 persons missing, of them, 20 were traced in Afghanistan. As regards missing Dr.Zarina complaint, he said that Kohlu officials denied the existence of any woman by this name. He said that no one has the correct figure of the missing persons.

Senator Mohabbat Khan Marri on this occasion intervening raised objections against his assertions and said that Balochistan people were being killed and the problem of the province could not be solved in this way. Muslim League-N leader, Raja Zafarul Huque also intervened and objected to his oration.

Rahman Malik continuing his statement said that Brahamdagh Bugti has openly voiced the slogan of independence, while Nawabzada Behramdad Bugti was the chief of BLA and asking help from the United Nations, but talks being held with the son of Akbar Bugti.

He said that for getting release of John Solecki, he knocked the doors of all including Bayar Murri. Once President Karzai had said that Pakistan’s land was being used for revolt against him, but when the government of Pakistan asked his assistance in this regard, no response came forth.

Interior advisor said that Ghulam Muhammad killed in Turbat was wanted by Iran and Iran government had asked for his handing over. He said that Frontier Corp was told to continue reporting to the developing situation Balochistan chief minister.

Senate in-camera session will be held on Thursday at 11.00 A.M., when Rahman Malik would be briefing Senators on Balochisttan situation.

Senate in-camera Balochistan situation briefing tomorrow - GEO.tv

I think their is attention to the Balochistan affair and do you know that Punjabis are the most attacked in this affair this anarchy cannot stop by using force against these people and I feel the only solution is to talk to them, unless conspiracy theorists are believed and this is an effort of Pakistans enemies to destabalise the nation.

 

[Elmo]

"Interior Advisor, Rahman Malik today giving a policy statement in the Senate said that no operation was underway in Balochistan"

He needs to be asked what exactly does he mean by an operation? If the army and paramilitary forces are deployed to maintain law and order, what is one supposed to consider that as.

Referring to the missing persons, interior advisor said that not thousands in Balochistan, but 831 persons missing, of them, 20 were traced in Afghanistan. As regards missing Dr.Zarina complaint, he said that Kohlu officials denied the existence of any woman by this name. He said that no one has the correct figure of the missing persons.

831 is a much lower statistic than "thousands" but doesn't change the fact that intelligence agencies ar working clandestinely to quell any resistance. Also one won't be able to find "Dr" Zarina, because Zarina Marri is a simple plain schoolteacher and not a doc. He later refutes his own argument and says that no one has the correct figure on the missing persons!



We obviously need a new interior minister who'd think twice before becoming a mouthpiece — isn't that the job of the information ministry

 

[Bane Blade]

We need a new governement but we need to be patient because that is another 3 years away so we need to sit tight and uphold democracy and educate people to vote sensibly.

 

[Elmo]

We need a new governement but we need to be patient because that is another 3 years away so we need to sit tight and uphold democracy and educate people to vote sensibly.

I'd say that's wishful thinking!

 

[Bane Blade]

I'd say that's wishful thinking!

I would continue to wish for that thinking to be maintained across all Pakistanis and untill I have not acheived a personall target of educating atleast a hundred Pakistanis I won't stop I have donated to a friends campaign that educates the poor in villages and have also contributed to another campaign that teaches people simple jobs like welding or electricion skills or mechanic jobs and they then can contribute to the economy in a healthy way, I will not mention namens because I feel it wrong to go around boasting what I do but yes I feel that if you educate the son of your Massi I think they call her that yes if you can educate her children for free you contribute in many ways to a better Pakistani society one that grows on education and not beggary one where people want to move up not stay down the only way for our capitalistic society to grow is when the people want to grow.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

I'd say that's wishful thinking!

Perhaps, and it may not work the first few times, but it is guaranteed not to work if we don't even try.

A vibrant democracy won't just fall into our laps, Pakistanis will have to work for it bit by bit.

 

[Bane Blade]

Perhaps, and it may not work the first few times, but it is guaranteed not to work if we don't even try.

A vibrant democracy won't just fall into our laps, Pakistanis will have to work for it bit by bit.

Just replace Pakistan with USA and whatever you said was said by Thomas Jefferson to Marcus Lafayette "Perhaps, and it may not work the first few times, but it is guaranteed not to work if we don't even try.

A vibrant democracy won't just fall into our laps, Americans will have to work for it bit by bit."

 

[jeypore]

Pakistan lays Balochistan blame


The head of Pakistan's interior ministry has accused India and Afghanistan of supporting rebels in its troubled Balochistan province.

The province witnessed a series of anti-government protests this month, following the deaths of three senior ethnic leaders.

Rehman Malik said India and Afghanistan wanted to destabilise Pakistan.

Baloch nationalist parties are still holding strikes in protest at the killings this month.

Phone call

Pakistani officials have accused the country's neighbours of interfering in Balochistan, its giant south-western province, before, but these are strongest public comments by a senior figure in a long time.



The military had said that "anti-state elements" were behind their deaths, but many in Balochistan accuse the army, who they blame for the disappearance of thousands of people.

Baloch nationalists have for many years campaigned for greater autonomy and control of local resources, while rebel groups there have been fighting for outright independence.

Mr Malik said that the government was now prepared to offer the Baloch parties everything they wanted, short of independence.

India and Afghanistan have, in the past, denied supporting the insurgents, and Mr Malik, who was speaking in the senate, did not provide any evidence.

But he did say that the security forces had intercepted a telephone call between the kidnappers of a UN official and the leader of one of the main Baloch rebel groups, who is based in Kabul.

The American, John Solecki, was recently released unharmed, after two months in captivity.
BBC NEWS | South Asia | Pakistan lays Balochistan blame

 

[Bane Blade]

Well atleast they have for the first time accepted the problem lets see how they tackle it, although I must say if India is levied blame against the Balochistan Pakistan has done nothing short in its part over Kashmir and I think these little tit tat fights are going to cost the whole region alot of damage, the two nations have to work together and India has to play a role too in the stability of the region of South Asia.

 

[wtf]

Just replace Pakistan with USA and whatever you said was said by Thomas Jefferson to Marcus Lafayette "Perhaps, and it may not work the first few times, but it is guaranteed not to work if we don't even try.

A vibrant democracy won't just fall into our laps, Americans will have to work for it bit by bit."

I am confused. Are you claiming USA is not a democracy ?

I can understand if you claim USA is not a nice place to be etc. I'll also agree if you said US foreign policy has caused a lot of enmity to it.
But USA was the first modern democratic republic and has had unbroken democracy from the time of its founding (Lincoln's grabbing of emergency powers, Civil wars were the dark spots). France actually copied ideas from the US for its revolution (which in turn died), Europe learned ideas from it, South American democracies copied a lot from it. Indian constitution is largely based on US ideas of having a written constitution, so is Pakistan's (Britain has no written constitution).

Why would you say US democracy does not work ?

 

[Zob]

We need a new governement but we need to be patient because that is another 3 years away so we need to sit tight and uphold democracy and educate people to vote sensibly.

Bane my friend you want me to tell the balochis to sit tight for 3 years.....i mean seriously the problem in balochistan is HUGE bigger then NWFP because in NWFP the locals don't say screw Pakistan we don't want PAKISTAN....but in balochistan they do....and like we did with EAST PAKISTAN ignored the core issues we are doing the same with BALOCHISTAN.....i was reading the other day that in schools in mustang(balochistan) pakistan national anthem has been stopped and flag hoisting ceremony in the morning as well....i am sorry but seems like pakistanis haven't learnt anything from our past mistakes of our ancestors.