Once again there is news of bullet riddled bodies found across Balochistan. From political rivalries to tribal enmities to sectarian genocide, the province has an unending list of problems. The politics of Islamabad is understandably more important for political parties right now. But not attending to Balochistan’s problems has made it snowball into the crisis that it is today, and the more time is wasted in turning to it, the worse it will get. As argued repeatedly in this space, the biggest reason for lawlessness in the province is the presence of numerous security and secret organisations at work simultaneously.
When those mandated with providing security have their powers curbed, it is little surprise that law and order breaks down in the long term. With the military calling the shots, the FC running its own network, and the ISI also always present, there is not much space the police and relevant civilian agencies are left with. It was hoped that the present provincial dispensation would be more sympathetic to the province’s problems than its predecessors, but going by statistics alone, it has also been a letdown, with little hope for the future.
There is a tendency among certain political and media circles to blame most things wrong with the country on outside elements. Balochistan’s fate is no exception. It is always foreign agencies stirring up trouble or bribing disgruntled elements. But they forget that policies coming from the highest offices in the country are responsible for creating a situation that is easily exploited by enemies. Nationalists, too, find it easier to operate when there is predominant deprivation of rights, extra judicial killings, and a general feeling of apathy towards such a large and significant part of the country. Those finding their way across Islamabad’s complicated political labyrinth must realise that Balochistan requires urgent action. If it is not attended to immediately, it will present a far more complex mix of problems. And if the government cannot control what is happening now, it will have a slim chance of getting a handle on the problem when it gets much worse.
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Balochistan’s unending problems
Once again there is news of bullet riddled bodies found across Balochistan. From political rivalries to tribal enmities to sectarian genocide, the province has an unending list of problems. The politics of Islamabad is understandably more important for political parties right now. But not attending to Balochistan’s problems has made it snowball into the crisis that it is today, and the more time is wasted in turning to it, the worse it will get. As argued repeatedly in this space, the biggest reason for lawlessness in the province is the presence of numerous security and secret organisations at work simultaneously.
When those mandated with providing security have their powers curbed, it is little surprise that law and order breaks down in the long term. With the military calling the shots, the FC running its own network, and the ISI also always present, there is not much space the police and relevant civilian agencies are left with. It was hoped that the present provincial dispensation would be more sympathetic to the province’s problems than its predecessors, but going by statistics alone, it has also been a letdown, with little hope for the future.
There is a tendency among certain political and media circles to blame most things wrong with the country on outside elements. Balochistan’s fate is no exception. It is always foreign agencies stirring up trouble or bribing disgruntled elements. But they forget that policies coming from the highest offices in the country are responsible for creating a situation that is easily exploited by enemies. Nationalists, too, find it easier to operate when there is predominant deprivation of rights, extra judicial killings, and a general feeling of apathy towards such a large and significant part of the country. Those finding their way across Islamabad’s complicated political labyrinth must realise that Balochistan requires urgent action. If it is not attended to immediately, it will present a far more complex mix of problems. And if the government cannot control what is happening now, it will have a slim chance of getting a handle on the problem when it gets much worse.
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