Balochistan: Mengal’s conditions for talks with Government

Editorial

The BNP President, Sardar Akhtar Jan Mengal, has demanded immediate withdrawal of combat troops from Balochistan, an end to the custodial killing of political opponents and release of all missing persons in custody of the Government functionaries, police or other security agencies. Only after this, he and his party colleagues will consider holding talks with the Government normalizing situation in Balochistan. It is natural that no Baloch nationalist will hold talks under the prevailing conditions, particularly when the detained people are killed in custody. There should be an improvement in the situation and a better and congenial atmosphere should be created for talks finding solutions to the Baloch conflict. We have been saying the same for the past many years and suggested to the Government to create a proper political climate in Balochistan for holding meaningful talks or restoring normalcy. Besides Government functionaries, officers from the defence forces, no political leader worth the name is supporting the policies of the Government in Balochistan. Even the President of Pakistan offered no comments on Balochistan situation! The allies of the Government had condemned the target killing by the functionaries and custodial killing of political opponents. In a way, the Government and the entire state apparatus is completely isolated on this issue and being criticized from all corners, including the allies of the coalition Governments at the Centre and in the Province of Balochistan. The Senate Functional Committee had gone a step further asking the Government to stop treating Baloch political opponents as enemies of Pakistan. In such a case, they will definitely look towards other countries for help, the Committee argued. Thus the demands from the BNP President are just and legitimate and without fulfilling those conditions, it is nearly impossible that any one will come forward and hold talks with the Government or attend the All Parties Conference proposed by the Prime Minister. We hope that the Prime Minister will announce certain measures before holding the APC or inviting the stake holders from Balochistan to sort out political and constitutional issues of Balochistan. The Baloch conflict has nothing to do with the so-called sense of deprivation, a term hated and deeply resented by the Baloch nationalists. Backwardness is rampant in Balochistan for more than two thousands years. It is not new or discovery by the Pakistani rulers. They are rightly demanding their political and constitutional rights for which they are protesting against the hostile policies of the Federal Government.