In an appalling incident in Balochistan's Hub area, eight labourers from southern Punjab working at a poultry farm were abducted and brutally shot dead after ascertaining their ethnic identities. Two of their local co-workers from Lasbela were set free unharmed. A Baloch separatists group calling itself United Baloch Front has claimed responsibility for the horror. As expected, Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch condemned the killing of innocent people "in sheer violation of Islamic teachings and Baloch traditions" ordering the province's police chief to carry out investigation and arrest the culprits. The incident is not the first of its kind. Ever since the murder of Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugti triggered the latest round of insurgency in the province, different separatist groups have been killing Punjabis - guest workers as well as teachers and old settlers. Last year, they also attacked local Pashtuns forcing many to take refuge in the neighbouring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Needless to say, no good cause justifies the murder of innocent people. The government must do all that it takes to bring these terrorists to justice.
Chief Minister Malik, a self-confessed former militant from a previous insurgency, pointed out on an earlier occasion that during his time the militants' code of ethics had no place for targeting civilians from other provinces. What may be different this time is the involvement of foreign elements. Some of the insurgency leaders have openly been saying they would welcome support from any quarters, including India, which has a special interest to keep the pot boiling in order to create instability in this country. It is no secret that former Afghan president Hamid Karzai too gave sanctuaries to some Baloch separatists, who later found asylum in certain Western countries. It does not help, however, to blame outsiders for the trouble. They will take advantage of the situation whenever, wherever they can. It is for the leadership here to put its house in order and deny anyone the chance to exploit domestic disputes.
With a Baloch nationalist party heading the provincial government, there is hope on the horizon. A while ago, Dr Malik made a special trip to London to hold negotiations with the insurgent leaders. Although spurned, he has not given up trying. He recently hosted a multi-party meeting receiving the mandate to hold talks with the exiled leaders. The move is backed by the Prime Minister who, says Dr Malik, "wants to resolve the matter amicably." In another important development on September 30, the Balochistan Assembly adopted a unanimous resolution urging the Khan of Kalat, Agha Suleman Dawood Khan - the Khan went into self-exile in London following Nawab Bugti's murder - to return home and help restore peace in the province. Hopefully, these efforts will soon come to fruition, ending a protracted insurgency and the killing of powerless ordinary people.
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