A slow burning Balochistan
Time to pay attention to the humanitarian crisis in Balochistan
The burning timbers of “Ziarat” where Jinnah lived very briefly before his death has succeeded for now in turning the world’s attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Balochistan. Targeted by rockets and hand grenades, the attack killed a police guard and razed the idyllic home of the founding father of Pakistan. The very symbolic act of hoisting the Baloch Liberation Army’s flag on top of the ruins succeeded in turning the focus to a resistance movement going on since 2000 and before. There are multiple dimensions to the conflict within the province and yesterday’s attacks against the Ziarat and the twin bombings in Quetta are just parts of the greater tragedy of the region that has seen more than 8000 missing people claimed to be abducted by the security forces, over 600 Shia deaths primarily carried out by Lashkar-e-Janghvi and over 800 murders by separatists (since ‘08). The ban of reportage, and killing of more than 22 journalists in four years has helped in keeping a tight lid on these conflicts even within Pakistan.
The Baloch Liberation Army that carried out the attack against Jinnah’s retreat is headed by Hyrbyair Marri, a Baloch nationalist settled in Britain. They have been vociferous in their demand for independence from Pakistan and have support within the province, the largest in Pakistan but with less than half of Karachi’s population. Independence would give them control over the vast natural resources including copper, gold and natural gas, and thus improving their region which suffers from acute poverty, illiteracy and lack of basic resources like power and water. The support for a Independent Balochistan is high from various Baloch nationalist and separatist groups within the province in spite of the high risk of abduction and murder by Pakistani security forces involved in strategic counter insurgency operations. For a state that is slowly trying to put itself together with the help of the new PM Sharif, even this symbolic overthrow, and could mean trouble and a greater crackdown within the province. The new CM Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, elected with abysmally low turnout in the Baloch areas has been directed to start reconciliation measures by Sharif. The burning down of a national symbol should be seen as a sign of the vehement denial on the part of the separatists to walk that path. The election of Dr. Baloch coming on the heels of Nawaz Sharif’s appointment to the PM post was hailed by the national media as a sign of the democratic progress in the area. The jarring disconnect between this Pakistani hope and the realities on the ground was obvious when election week saw 16 bodies brutally murdered, mutilated, and dumped in Balochistan.
The twin bombings that killed at least 23 people including Abdul Mansoor Kakar, Quetta’s deputy commissioner ended after a few hours of gun battle amidst a hostage crisis at the Dolan medical college. Lashkar-e-Jhangvi took responsibility for the attacks. The attacks were specifically targeted against the Shia population of Quetta and took place close to the Shiite Hazara region. The attack unfortunately is another targeted attack against the Shias by this particular terrorist group. The worst of the attacks came in January and February of this year which saw more than 200 killed and 200 injured in 2 attacks on this ethnic group. Planned, strategic and systematic and increasingly torturous killings have been increasing against migrating ethnic groups and my colleague Nitin Pai in 2012 had asked for Pakistan to be put on a Genocide watchlist to focus and bring the world’s attention to the humanitarian crisis.
Nawaz Sharif cannot risk striking the same conciliatory stance struck by ZA Bhutto, Zia-ul Haq, Musharraf, Zardari, all of whom oversaw brutal military exercises in the province. He has to take more concrete steps towards a reconciliation with the separatists and address their grievances through peaceful means. This crisis has lasted longer than the many Arab springs put together, yet the media remains obsessed with the springs in Egypt, Turkey and Syria. Even closer home there has been very little discourse or reports on the murders and extra judicial disappearances. The UNSG has last night issued a statement condemning the bombings and the violence in Balochistan and has expressed solidarity with its people. Will it lead to the US and the UN Security council turning its attention to the brutality remains to be seen. The burning down of a national symbol will perhaps turn the world’s attention to this smoldering province.
