Balochistan Needs Us

BLA Militants destroyed the historical landmark "Quaid-e-Azam Residency" in Ziarat, Quetta. Three rockets fired between the Friday-Saturday night which left the two storey National Heritage completely ruined. A policeman got killed in this attack. Saturday afternoon; according to media reports, "Four Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel and Deputy Commissioner Mansur Kakar were martyred as a result of a terrorist siege at Bolan Medical Complex. Reports of four nurses were also amongst those killed in the attack. Earlier, at least 14 female students were killed in a blast which targeted the bus of a women’s only university in the city. The improvised explosive device was planted inside the bus." 

With media reports slowly pouring in; the nation was told 25 people were killed in terrorists attacks at a women's university bus and Bolan Medical Complex on Saturday. As the victims were being shifted to the Bolan Medical Complex, a second blast struck the emergency ward where several terrorists stormed the complex laying siege to it. Four FC personnel, the city’s DC and four nurses were lost lives in the attack. The Medico Legal Officer of Bolan Medical Complex who was seriously wounded in the attack later succumbed to his injuries.             

Pakistanis across the country and abroad who saw the events on television unfold were dumbstruck, frustrated and angry on this inhuman attack. The scenes looked like those from a battlefield somewhere in the Middle East or Afghanistan. The messages given in these attacks were quite simple to understand, the national heritage, women of this country along with men have no value to the  enemy. A foe that is hell bent to destroy the morale of this nation, bit by bit. 

Alot has been written on Balochistan, enough statements have been hurled on media by the politicians. A vague policy on this province will not do anymore. The newly elected provincial Government needs back up in actions and not words, we are already too late. The stakeholders namely; the democratically elected government, the leading political parties, the Army, the interior ministry, the responsible citizens of this country, media persons etc should sit together and find a unilateral solution, bring all on board and resolve this menace of terrorism which is taking lives of innocent people. It is beyond time now, serious accountability of criminals must take place, a transparency of changed policies must happen NOW. Undefined policies create misperception and allow the foreign forces to exploit the situation to implement their long-term agenda against the state of Pakistan.                                                                                                                                                

   

Majority of the Baloch (Baloch and Pakhtoons who live in Balochistan) want to stay and be part of Pakistan. What they demand is to develop the province, create jobs like all the other provinces of Pakistan. GOP (Government of Pakistan) MUST start and complete development projects in Balochistan which should include Education, health, industry etc. Pakistan Army has done a commendable job in Balochistan and as a result in the last two years almost 12000 Balochs have joined Pakistan army.

With the democracy now in place a professional army to back the civilian administration, Balochistan will see rapid and positive developments in the next few months. There never was and never will be any truth in Balochistan breaking away from Pakistan. The handful Sardars who only hold three districts out of thirty are using Baloch youth to keep the province lawless are being heavily backed by foreign accounts to break off from Pakistan. Killing Baloch nationalists and youth is not the panacea. They are being supplied by ammunition which should now be exposed to the world. Enough of vagueness. 

If you look all throughout history, the stakeholders have to learn to sink their egos, agendas and histories, and recognize the common issues that unite them.

Pakistan Government must confidently put the trouble makers on the spot by proposing a coherent plan saying: “This is what we want. This is how we’re going to get from here to there”. They must show what they stand for.  One should analyse & understand  who is the beneficiary of missing persons or else killing of the Baloch masses.  

A socio-economic activity & development of the province would 

play a major role in calming the situation. There is a dire need that representatives of the federal and provincial governments along with responsible bureaucracy must visit the province physically to know the real problems and to address grievances on spot. These visits should not be restricted to Quetta and to meet the political allies, but meant to reach over to those aggrieved parties, irrespective of political affiliation. These groups should have a mandate to decide things on ground and later in consultation with the respective government should initiate long-term projects. The Baloch youth,  irrespective of their education or qualification should be given jobs to absorb them in the larger Pakistani society.

Its time for action, for owing your own people, for giving them what they rightfully deserve.