Pakistan's 'secret' war in Baluchistan

[Karachiite]

Education and investment in Balochistan is needed badly. Its time for Balochis to come out of their tribal life and move with the current times. A major operation in Balochistan needs to be done badly. The Afghan border needs to be completely sealed and blocked with land mines so Faghanistani terrorists can blow up before their actual date.

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

Plain simple solution is:

1)Education
2)Health care
3)Jobs
4)Instead of dealing with tribal elders...... just educate the youth and talk to the people.

 

[RabzonKhan]

EDITORIAL: Eid ‘gift’ for the Baloch?

Daily Times
November 21, 2010

Six bullet-riddled bodies of ‘missing persons’ were found
in different parts of Balochistan during the three days of Eid-ul-Azha. Lala Hameed Baloch, a journalist and president of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), and Samiullah Mengal, a student and Balochistan Students Organisation-Azad (BSO-Azad) activist, were among those whose bodies were found. This was the eid gift that was given to the families of the six Baloch men who were picked up by unidentified personnel and later killed brutally. A strike was observed in some parts of Balochistan to protest against these killings and today there will be another strike as it is the third death anniversary of BLA commander Balaach Marri. In recent months, we have seen a sudden increase in the targeted killings of Baloch nationalists. Despite the government’s assurances that the Baloch would get their just rights, nothing has changed since General Musharraf’s time; if anything, the campaign to get rid of nationalist cadres has made things worse.

If the military operation is not stopped and our intelligence agencies continue to harass and kill the Baloch with such impunity, it will only lead to further alienation of the people. This is a sure shot way to fill the ranks of the militant nationalists with more recruits since it is only the moderates who are within reach and therefore under threat. The militant nationalists have not only taken up arms but are also accused of being involved in killing settlers. Far from serving any strategic purpose, targeting ordinary settlers is producing a negative political fallout. The nationalists had never killed settlers in any of the previous four wars in Balochistan. The reason for this new trend could be that the Baloch leadership has shifted from the older and mature nationalists to young, hotheaded elements suffering from extreme anger and frustration. But they must realise that when you are fighting for your just rights, such actions erode the appeal of an otherwise worthy cause.

To make matters worse, at a time when Balochistan is soaked in blood, most of the country remains indifferent. This gives rise to the sentiment of separation and secessionism in Balochistan. It is time to raise our voice against the grave injustices being committed in the province in the name of ‘national interest’. We must understand that the blood of the Baloch is on the hands of every Pakistani who sits quietly and watches the travesty being unfolded there.

 

[ajtr]

Balochistan shuts to mark Balaach Marri’s death​

* Protesters block all major highways preventing movement of all types of vehicles

* Transporters join strike

By Mohammad Zafar

QUETTA: A complete shutter-down and wheel-jam strike was observed in most parts of Balochistan on Saturday to mark the third death anniversary of Nawabzada Balaach Marri.

Traffic between Quetta and rest of the country remained suspended for the day. The RCD Highway connecting Quetta with Zahidan was also closed for traffic. Protesters put up barricades on all the major highways preventing the movement of all types of vehicle. Transporters also joined the strike call from the Baloch nationalists by not plying their passenger buses. Intercity traffic remained suspended.

The strike call was supported by the Baloch nationalist parties, including Balochistan National Party (BNP-M), Baloch Republican Party (BRP), Baloch National Movement (BNM), Baloch Students Organisation-Azad (BSO-Azad) and others. Complete shutter-down strike was observed in Quetta. All the shopping and trading centers situated in Liaquat Bazaar, Jinnah Road, Mezan Chowk, Alamdar Road, Prince Road, Saryab Road, Brewery Road, Hazar Ganji, Joint Road, Shahbaz Town, Jinnah Town, Abdul Sattar Road and other areas remained closed for the day.

Most of the streets wore a deserted look and traffic was thin. People in all the major townships and population centres of the province preferred to stay at home. A curfew-like situation was witnessed in those parts of Quetta that are strongholds of Baloch nationalists. No political worker was seen on the roads implementing the strike call through intimidation or use of force. The businessmen, traders and shopkeepers voluntarily observed the strike.

Stringent security measures were adopted to avert any untoward incident in the city. Heavy contingents of police, Frontier Corps and other law enforcement agencies were deployed at different places. They patrolled the more sensitive areas. Police vehicles, mounted with guns, were seen patrolling the provincial metropolis. Provincial Police Officer Malik Iqbal inspected the security measures in Quetta.

The strike was also observed in Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar, Lasbela, Gwadar, Kech, Mand, Pasni, Sibi, Naseerabad, Jaffarabad, Kohlu, Dera Bugti, Awaran, Panjgur and other Baloch dominant districts of province. The activists of BRP and BSO staged protest demonstrations in Sibi and some other places. They accused government functionaries of killing innocent Baloch students and political opponents in their custody.

Marri was killed near Sarlat, a no-man’s land between Pakistan and Afghanistan, during a search operation in 2007. Government officials claimed that he was killed in an airstrike by NATO forces inside the Afghan territory. The Afghan government had never confirmed this claim. Marri was elected member of the Balochistan Assembly in 2002 from Kohlu district as an independent candidate during the Musharraf regime. He had never attended the assembly session. Unconfirmed reports say that he had also led the banned Baloch Liberation Army.

 

[ajtr]

Rocket attacks continue in Kohlu by BLA​

QUETTA: Rocket attacks continued in Kohlu district for the second consecutive day on Saturday and a rocket also hit a house in Quetta damaging it. However, no causality was reported in the attacks.

According police, a rocket fired from unspecified location exploded with a big bang on the roof of a house in Baloch Colony situated on Brewery Road. The roof was partially damaged. Police and the bomb disposal squad rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area soon after the blast. Eight rockets were fired on Chamalang and Kohlu near security check posts. A rocket exploded in Bala Dakha area and another near a check post in Chamalang area. However, no loss of life was reported in the attack. staff report

 

[ajtr]

An analysis of baluchistan​

On 4th August 1947, a tripartite agreement was signed between Pakistan, the British and Balochistan called The Standstill Agreement in which the sovereign status of Balochistan was accepted. The Khan declared Balochistan independent on 12th August 1947, two days before the independence of Pakistan. The Khan affirmed his intention to build Balochistan as a prosperous sovereign country in which Baloch could retain their identity and live in accordance with their traditions and establish relations through treaties of friendship with neighboring states of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan as well as with India and outside world.

The Assembly held sessions in September and December 1947 and most favoured alliance and not accession with Pakistan. On December 14th 1947 Ghaus Baksh Bizenjo made a landmark speech and it is still considered as a valid argument for independence of Balochistan.

On 26th March 1948 Pakistan army was ordered to move into Baloch coastal region of Pasni, Jiwani, and Turbat. This was the first act of aggression prior to the march on Capital Kalat by Pakistani military detachment on 1st April 1948. The Khan capitulated on March 27th after the Army moved in to coastal region and it was announced in Karachi that Khan of Kalat has agreed to merge his State with Pakistan. Under the constitution of Kalat, the Khan was not authorized to take such a basic decision. The Balochistan assembly had already rejected any suggestion of forfeiting the independence of Balochistan on any pretext. The sovereign Baloch State after British withdrawal from India lasted only 227 days.

The 1973-77 conflict resulted in enormous sufferings of Baloch population in the province; forcing thousands of Marris and other Baloch to seek shelter in Afghanistan. It was during this period that the steel of Baloch mettle was really tempered and for the first time they felt confident that they could take on the might of the State and survive to fight another day. This struggle blazed a path for the future generations and without it probably the flame of Baloch struggle may have been extinguished forever.

Further highlighting the neglect he says, “Balochistan remains almost voiceless, having no say in the decision- making process at the centre. Over 50 per cent its population subsists below the poverty line.

Moreover in the table “THE TEN HIGHEST DEPRIVED DISTRICTS OF PAKISTAN” nine were from Balochistan and it emerges as the most deprived province with over 91 percent of population residing in high deprived districts during 2005. It shows that in 1998 the percentage of population living in a high degree of deprivation was 25 per cent in Punjab, 23 per cent in urban Sindh, 49 per cent in rural Sindh, 51 per cent in the NWFP, and 88 per cent in Balochistan. In 2005 the figures were, Punjab 28, Sindh 35, NWFP 35 and Balochistan 91 showing that Balochistan is in a consistent nose-dive.

A horrific picture emerges if one surveys the maternal mortality rate which is 650 per 100,000 births in Balochistan while it is 281in Karachi. This is double the national average. Infant mortality in Balochistan is 158 deaths per 1,000 live births even Democratic Republic of Congo's average of 126 is lower while Pakistan's national average of 70 is less than half.

Similarly, Balochistan accounted for 7 out of the 9 districts with the lowest full immunization rate, including the four districts with the worst record.

Only 20 per cent of its people have an access to safe drinking water compared to 86 per cent in the rest of Pakistan. Village electrification is only 25 per cent compared to 75 per cent in the rest of the country.

US interest

US has, unsuccessfully so far, been trying to open a Consulate in Quetta but it will get its way because Pakistan like a lady of easy virtue would like to show at least some resistance before it caves in. US fully understand the need to engage the Baloch nationalists and have made secret overtures though nothing substantial has emerged or can be expected to emerge in the near future. US have made no secret of its desire to play a part in Balochistan because it wouldn’t like to be left behind in this new great game. It fully realizes that nature abhors vacuum and if it doesn’t someone else will certainly take advantage and then it would be left in limbo. US is not a fool and it will not sit idle.

Russian interest

Which is one of the prime interests of US and EU to block IPI gas pipeline many analysts even raise finger at US that they support an insurgency in Iranian occupied Balochistan to create instability to prevent any gas pipelines to carry gas to south, and hence force Iran to sell her gas to EU countries that will weaken Russian who at present have almost monopoly on European gas markets, hence creating serious political and economical rift between two powerful neighbours Russia and Iran and at the same time bring the gas prices seriously down which benefits only EU and give severe economical blow to Russian and Iranian economies whose budget’s lion share comes from energy sources.

Chinese interest

They need Balochistan not only for her minerals wealth but want to use her coastal areas and ports for their geo-political and military needs, there for they want direct access to the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf and a friendly and easily purchase able government in Islamabad was to China’s advantage. China has helped build Gwadar port in Baluchistan for her imports most importantly its shortest transit routes to western China and can, in no time, send its forces from Zinjiang in Central Asia to Gwadar. And use Gwadar port as her military base to control Major economical hub and energy routes from both mid east and central Asia and to encircle and counter India militarily.

Indian interest

Obviously India has many interests as a major regional and hence forth future growing world power cannot ignore Balochistan as she is the door to the central Asia countries and apart from being major energy source is the gate way for central Asian and Iranian energy and trade corridor, India cannot ignore the Chinese factor and for sure would like to see an independent Balochistan who is either neutral or friendly to India, apart from this India will like to use Baloch factor as a balance in her turbulence relations with Pakistan in many fronts most notable factor is J&K, the Indian would like to see Baloch factor an arguments in their future negotiated settlement on Kashmir and they will try to give Pakistan tough time ahead on this, as already many times Indian media and politicians indirectly told Pakistan we will give you J&K you give up Sindh and Balochistan though nobody can take it for seriously but every joke has half truth in it. :?: :?:

Saudi and GCC

Saudis and other GCC keep an open eye on Balochistan first they treat Balochistan as region which is traditionally under their sphere of influence since historical times second they fear Iran’s domination of entire Balochistan if ever shaky Pakistan breaks apart, they will jump and support Baloch in order to prevent Balochistan falling under Tehran who is their uncompromising rival in the region for many reasons.

Afghan and central Asian countries:

afghans and central Asian states are land locked countries their direct and easy access to Indian ocean and ports is only through Balochistan, they would prefer to see small Balochistan an independent with whom it will be easy for them to deal then blackmailing Islamabad which herself depends on china and US for piece of bread, economically it’s in the interests of all regional countries support an independent Balochistan to use her ports and trade routes to reach for world markets.

Pak/Iran interests

These two countries who directly and brutally occupy Balochistan will never be willing to let Balochistan go in their free will since their survival depends on Balochistan

Dr Jumma Khan Marri is president of the Baloch Unity Organisation who, while living in exile in Moscow, highlights his people's struggle for self-determination through the blog BALOCHUNITY.ORG |.

 

[muse]

DT editorial writers are really just plain wrong in their effort to pin the blame for rivalries among the insurrectionists in Balouchistan, on the the Federal government and in particular on the patriotic armed forces - the notion that these rebels are "Nationalists" is highly offensive to reasonable persons and suggests that DT editors have taken a extreme position -- regardless of the problems of society, of bad or poor governance and any host of grievances, to ascribe to insurrectionists, often, supported by foreign entities hostile to a sovereign Pakistan, as "nationalists", seems to me, inflammatory and worse still, an insult to the intelligence of readers, as is this

We must understand that the blood of the Baloch is on the hands of every Pakistani who sits quietly and watches the travesty being unfolded there..

Curiously, at least to the editors of the DT, the insurrectionists and propagandists whose behavior led to violent rivalries, have "clean hands" - this simply will not fly, it's an insult, worse, it's just plain wrong headed, informed by a 60's political ethos that the editors at the DT should allow to remain dead.

 

[mehru]

self delete

 

[mehru]

An analysis of baluchistan​

US interest

Russian interest

Chinese interest

Indian interest

Saudi and GCC

Afghan and central Asian countries:

Pak/Iran interests

Rather than posting something relevant to Baluchistan, how dare you to post the view of a separatist? Do you want me to do the same for Indian insurgencies?

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

Rather than posting something relevant to Baluchistan, how dare you to post the view of a separatist? Do you want me to do the same for Indian insurgencies?

Hes a indian troll he also spread anti Pakistan propoganda on a shitty indian forums as well .... ......... MODS should ban such crappy trolls who post bakwas and propoganda........ but nooooooo they dont!!!!!! they r soft on these culprits.

 

[Areesh]

Rather than posting something relevant to Baluchistan, how dare you to post the view of a separatist? Do you want me to do the same for Indian insurgencies?

Leave him yaar. He is just a kid. Take him as an irritant nothing more than that. After years of violence due to uncountable separatist movements in Bharat he needs something to satisfy himself. Although I agree that Mods should take notice of such posts and Bharati trolls.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

what utter garbage......

 

[foxbat]

You know what's funny.. Indians in another thread are accusing (almost) ajtr of being a false flag Indians and Pakistani here are calling her (right?) an Indian troll.. Somewhere a few days back, Asim or Agno called this (getting bashed by both sides) a sign of balanced credibility.. LOL

 

[sparklingway]

VIEW: Crime without a name —Mohammad Akhtar Mengal
​

Islamabad and its powerful establishment are committing Balochcide, a systematic act committed with institutional intent to destroy Baloch society. Islamabad’s brutalities and Hitler-like policies against the Baloch people will not deter us from continuing our struggle nor will these terror tactics result in suppressing our feelings

On August 24, 1941, two months after Germany invaded the Soviet Union, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill delivered a radio broadcast. Describing the barbarity of German police troops, as he called the SS, he said, “We are in the presence of a crime without a name.”

And today Pakistan, a country that came into being in the name of Islam, is using the worst inhuman methods and committing unprecedented “crimes without a name”. The crimes committed against a particular ethnic group by the dominant ethnic community and its institutions need a new name — not ethnocide or genocide. Simply, Islamabad and its powerful establishment are committing Balochcide, a systematic act committed with institutional intent to destroy Baloch society and eliminate its educated youth and politicians.

Balochcide is not limited to enforced disappearances and throwing away their tortured and bullet-riddled mutilated bodies. These practices include eliminating the few available moderate political Baloch voices one by one, destroying the very unique and liberal features of Baloch society, polluting the Baloch political system by supporting Taliban elements and encouraging a culture of “crimes in uniform”.

If you go through the reports and evidence compiled and developed by reputable human rights organisations, think-tanks, experts, writers and researchers and then put it beside other information available — widely reported upon by the media and by others — we simply conclude that genocide (Balochcide) has been committed in Balochistan and that the government of Pakistan bears responsibility.

The so-called civilised international community’s silence is adding to the severity of the human rights crisis. I am addressing this to the powerful west: just imagine your reaction if someone in uniform unlawfully abducts your child due to a suspicion that he believes in the political freedom of his community, and he is taken to an unauthorised detention centre and tortured for months without any access to family or a lawyer. Imagine in that kind of extreme environment, severe pain and suffering, bleeding and state of lifelessness, your son, in order to get rid of this slow motion death, agrees and accepts any kind of allegation and blame that the perpetrators put on him. And after accepting all these ‘allegations and crimes’, instead of producing him in a court — the perpetrators kill and dump him — exactly on Christmas day, a day meant to celebrate and enjoy life in Christian culture, not mourn. Furthermore, to inflict this pain on the family and community if the murderer leaves a paper with the dead body that reads: “A Gift of Christmas for the people (of a particular community).”

This is exactly what happened on this Eid. not with one, two or three, but six families, communities and regions in Pakistan’s ‘Darfur’ (Balochistan).

Six innocent young Baloch Student Organisation (BSO) activists, including a journalist, were killed and their bullet-riddled bodies were found in Khuzdar, Turbat, Gwadar, Kalat and Mastung during the three days of Eid. The slaughterers left a paper with the dead bodies that read: ” A Gift of Eid for the Baloch.”

The victims of extra-judicial killings were identified as Lala Hameed Baloch, president of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), and Hamid Ismail. Hameed Baloch was a journalist and a member of the Gwadar Press Club. Two bullet-riddled bodies of Bashir Ahmed Lehri and Inayatullah, who had been missing for more than two months, were found in Kad Kocha area of district Mastung. The badly tortured and bullet-riddled body of a university student, Samiullah Mengal, was found near Ferozabad area of Khuzdar. Another body was discovered on Friday from Kapotu area of Kalat district and has been identified as that of Nasurrallah Baloch. “Nasurrallah had been missing for the last two months and had been whisked away by government functionaries,” relatives alleged (‘Six missing persons found dead in Balochistan’, Daily Times, November 20, 2010).

All these killings came after Amnesty International’s recent demand that the government of Pakistan “must” investigate the torture and killings of more than 40 Baloch leaders and political activists over the past four months. “Activists, politicians and student leaders are among those who have been targeted in enforced disappearances, abductions, arbitrary arrests and cases of torture and other ill-treatment. The violence takes place against a backdrop of increasing political unrest and Pakistan army operations in Balochistan, south-western Pakistan,” said the statement.

Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific Director, was quoted in the statement as saying that Islamabad must act immediately to provide justice for the growing list of atrocities in Balochistan. “Baloch political leaders and activists are clearly being targeted and the government must do much more to end this alarming trend,” he observed.

Is it not the case that killing and dumping of a large number of Baloch people in such a brutal fashion by military, paramilitary and intelligence agencies in Balochistan constitutes genocide?

Is it not that the criminal silence of the apex courts and their human rights champion judges shows that the justice system too is working on an institutionally and ethnically agreed policy of ‘kill and dump’ the Baloch people?

No doubt Islamabad’s brutalities and Hitler-like policies against the Baloch people will not deter us from continuing our struggle nor will these terror tactics result in suppressing our feelings. Our forefathers resisted for centuries and we will do the same to teach our children that truth and freedom is more important than the consequences.

The writer is president of the Balochistan National Party and a former chief minister of Balochistan. He can be reached at akhtarmengal@hotmail.com

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[GentlemanObserver]

Thanks for sharing sir, but would you not say that Sardar Mengal is just as involved in the whole debacle plaguaging his people in Baluchistan.

Mengal, Mari and Bugti they are all in the same boat as far as im concerned. If they care about their people so much, how's about transferring some funds from the off-shore accounts and selling some "channa zameen" and making some schools and hospitals for their "oppressed" people?

Clearly the article is a case of preaching to the converted. It's consumption is for a very specific audience, and we all know, that audience ain't native.

I mean come on... BLA fighting BRA... Do they really expect the educated populace that all is to blame of the evil "federalists sitting in Punjab". Yeah lets blame the centralists, petty fools. They are actually playing into the hands of those who wish nothing more than the segregation of our nation and destruction of our united identity.