EDITORIAL: The flames of violence continue to engulf Balochistan, with terrorism still casting a long shadow over the province, perpetuating fear and instability. The latest barbaric incident to make headlines involves the murder of seven innocent men in Surbandar, on the outskirts of Gwadar, on May 9. All the victims, who worked in local barber shops and belonged to Punjab, were massacred as they slept.
The highly disturbing trend of targeting those hailing from Punjab, toiling away to make a living far from their homes in violence-wracked Balochistan, continues unabated as this is the third incident of its kind to have occurred over the last few months. In April, nine individuals belonging to Punjab and travelling through Naushki were assassinated by militants, while back in October, six labourers were killed in Turbat because of their ethnic background.
Routine condemnations of the reprehensible act have come thick and fast from governmental quarters; however, it is concerning that the real questions regarding pinning of responsibility for the continued violence in Balochistan remain unanswered.
It is easy for officials to hold Baloch separatist elements, as well as nefarious elements based in Afghanistan and Iran responsible for the state of the province, along with pointing towards possible Indian involvement. And, there is little doubt that there is plenty of evidence to suggest that all these assertions are patently true.
What still appears to be missing, however, is an honest appraisal of all the factors that have made it so simple for all manner of terror outfits and foreign powers to derail peace in Balochistan. What is also missing is an effective strategy, combining both military and political components, to deal with these threats. The shortcomings of our intelligence apparatus, especially, have become all too apparent, and points towards the need for those responsible on this front to step up their game.
It would also be wise to take note of the timing of this latest atrocity, as it follows on the heels of the president’s visit to Balochistan, where he stressed upon the need to initiate a political dialogue to resolve the province’s myriad problems.
The timing also takes on special significance when one notes the recent moves being made by Iran and Pakistan to kick-start the much-delayed Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project following the Iranian president’s visit to our country.
It would indeed be prudent to pay heed to all local and foreign actors, who do not wish for this much-delayed project to take shape, and would readily resort to violence to derail not just this particular venture, but also other investments coming in for the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
What also needs to be acknowledged here is that violent separatist elements, as well as foreign actors who may have an interest in fomenting trouble in Balochistan, are able to do so because there are fertile grounds of discontent in the province that they have found easy to exploit.
While the government must insist on going ahead with all vital projects meant for the region, it must also ensure that the benefit of any investment venture reaches the local population in the form of employment opportunities, infrastructure development, and improved health and education facilities.
Balochistan has fallen far behind the rest of the country across various developmental aspects, something that must be addressed immediately. It is time our rulers move beyond giving out banal statements about the province’s economic potential and address all the factors that have led to the bloodshed of innocents over the last two decades. Pinning responsibility for the continued violence, initiating a comprehensive political dialogue as well as investing in the improvement of Balochistan’s basic human development indicators would be the right start on this front.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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