In the latest incident of the senseless violence that seems to be the country’s fate, 13 people lost their lives on Tuesday near Mach in the Bolan district of Balochistan. The victims had been travelling in two coaches out of the province to their home districts in Punjab when the vehicles were ambushed by scores of gunmen disguised as security personnel. Twenty-one passengers were taken away. Thirteen of them, identified from their identity cards as belonging to Punjab, were killed. The others were released. The Bolan killings are quite evidently ethnic in nature – nothing new for Balochistan where such murders have routinely taken place before. Those killed were mainly labourers from various Punjab districts, including Faisalabad, Sadiqabad and Muzzafargarh.
It comes as no real surprise that the Baloch nationalist group, the Balochistan Liberation Army, has taken responsibility for the ruthless killings, which have been condemned . It is uncertain what purpose the nationalists hope to achieve through such violence. The killings have only added to the misery that is already in abundance in most homes as a result of poverty and militancy. The tragic incident also highlights just how ungovernable the province of Balochistan increasingly continues to become. Any pretence of law and order has now crumbled completely and it is obvious that heightened security alone will not solve the problem. Indeed security forces too have been facing tough times, with personnel repeatedly targeted. There is no easy solution to Balochistan’s many issues and the place the provincial government finds itself in is unenviable. But perhaps some hope can be found in the fact that – gauging from media statements and online conversation – public opinion in the province appears to be swinging away from the militants. This is something CM Abdul Malik Baloch and his team need to capitalise on, so that a consensus can be created against any and all kind of violence. The people of Balochistan need to stand united so that the future of the province looks a little brighter than is presently the case. Unless this happens, greater darkness will descend not only on Balochistan but the country as well.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Balochistan: Bloodshed in Bolan
In the latest incident of the senseless violence that seems to be the country’s fate, 13 people lost their lives on Tuesday near Mach in the Bolan district of Balochistan. The victims had been travelling in two coaches out of the province to their home districts in Punjab when the vehicles were ambushed by scores of gunmen disguised as security personnel. Twenty-one passengers were taken away. Thirteen of them, identified from their identity cards as belonging to Punjab, were killed. The others were released. The Bolan killings are quite evidently ethnic in nature – nothing new for Balochistan where such murders have routinely taken place before. Those killed were mainly labourers from various Punjab districts, including Faisalabad, Sadiqabad and Muzzafargarh.
It comes as no real surprise that the Baloch nationalist group, the Balochistan Liberation Army, has taken responsibility for the ruthless killings, which have been condemned . It is uncertain what purpose the nationalists hope to achieve through such violence. The killings have only added to the misery that is already in abundance in most homes as a result of poverty and militancy. The tragic incident also highlights just how ungovernable the province of Balochistan increasingly continues to become. Any pretence of law and order has now crumbled completely and it is obvious that heightened security alone will not solve the problem. Indeed security forces too have been facing tough times, with personnel repeatedly targeted. There is no easy solution to Balochistan’s many issues and the place the provincial government finds itself in is unenviable. But perhaps some hope can be found in the fact that – gauging from media statements and online conversation – public opinion in the province appears to be swinging away from the militants. This is something CM Abdul Malik Baloch and his team need to capitalise on, so that a consensus can be created against any and all kind of violence. The people of Balochistan need to stand united so that the future of the province looks a little brighter than is presently the case. Unless this happens, greater darkness will descend not only on Balochistan but the country as well.
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