Unrest in Balochistan

Balochistan and the 'great power games'

Breaking up larger Muslim states, redrawing borders between some of them, creating new political entities are all part of the new strategic game plan

Shireen M Mazari

As the scale of terrorist attacks in Balochistan becomes more extensive, a pattern can be discerned which points to a deliberate targeting of communication systems and national assets, impacting the country across provincial boundaries. With more sophisticated explosives, which demonstrate a greater access to external sources of weapons and money, the so-called Baloch Liberation Army has moved away from targeting soft civil society targets to installations, military set-ups and communication links. The acts of sabotage are clearly not random but have careful planning behind them -- as well as a certain level of technical sophistication. And of course there is the very important financial aspect. All these indicators prove the strong external linkages to what is happening in Balochistan.

This is not to deny the prevalence of local discontent that is primarily linked to a sense of economic deprivation. This is why the broad contours of the recommendations of the parliamentary committee on Balochistan that have appeared in some sections of the press, are a big step in the right direction -- if they are implemented speedily. The main thrust of these recommendations seems to be to not only give the Baloch a greater economic stake in the development of their province but also to preserve the locals' political balance despite the intrusion of settlers from outside the province. A suggestion to increase gas royalty for the province and ensure that 15 per cent of this royalty is spent on developing the relevant local areas is also a much-needed move. Will these policies along with engagement of the Baloch leaders politically ensure a return to stability and normalcy in the province? Not in the immediate future, because of the external factors. But they will help to isolate these external factors while rectifying the locals' sense of deprivation. Most important, implementing these recommendations will help in denying space to external players in terms of recruiting locals for acts of terrorism.

Because much of the external interest in Balochistan is linked to Gwadar, the parliamentary committee's reported recommendations also focus on Gwadar with some very relevant proposals which would allow the Balochs to oversee the development of the port and related projects rather than finding themselves sidelined and left out of the loop by settlers. The development of the Gwadar port, of course, allows Pakistan and China very concrete economic opportunities including the opening up of a trade corridor with a reach to Central Asia. If Gwadar and its surrounding areas develop, business can be attracted here away from some of the prevailing Gulf financial centres -- where India has very heavy financial stakes. Here the economic interests of India become enmeshed with the interests of the Gulf states.

Nor is the relevance of Gwadar merely economic, although presently for Pakistan and China, that is the prime objective. In the long run Gwadar's strategic importance has multiplied post-9/11 because of the US presence in the region -- both in the Gulf and in Central Asia. To suddenly have a strategic port at Gwadar, uncomfortably close to the main US overseas base in the Gulf, to which China would have access, becomes an unacceptable notion for the US, which sees the containment and probable encirclement of China as a long-term strategic objective.

Then there is the issue of energy security and US efforts to keep control of energy resources in Muslim states and societies, from the Middle East to Central Asia. India is also investing heavily in Central Asia's energy resources and there was news in early January 2005 that the Saudi oil giant Aramco was thinking of going into a strategic alliance with Indian Oil Company. For both the US and India, the pipelines projects through Pakistan allow Chinese energy needs to be met more efficiently.

As long as Balochistan remains unstable and the law and order situation remains uncertain, Gwadar's true potential cannot be realised. And the Chinese will certainly be compelled to take a second look at their growing economic commitment in Pakistan. They were moving in a big way into the Pakistani market, especially in terms of investment in the industrial sector. By creating a law and order situation, the Pakistani market can be denied to the Chinese even as the Indians come in to make bids for sick industrial units in Sindh and Punjab -- under various fronts, including holding companies based in England in the case of the rice mills purchase on the Narowal Road near Kala Shah Kaku.

Within all these "great power games", one should recall the Balochistan Chief Minister's statement of August 13, 2004 that RAW was running at least 40 camps in his province. After all, with an Indian presence on the Pakistan-Afghan border as well as in Zahidan, the opportunities for low intensity conflict become multiplied for India. For the US, also, Baloch instability is far more preferable to a stable and economically booming Balochistan with its strategic location -- especially since the latter will have a positive economic fallout for neighbouring Iran.

However, more important for the US, it would like to isolate Iran within the region even as it increases its rhetoric against Iran on the nuclear issue. We have seen US Vice President Cheney declaring, on January 20, 2005, that Israel might "act first" against Iran and Condoleezza Rice declare that Iran must be made to understand that it cannot pursue its nuclear ambitions. At the same time Israeli Defence Minister Mofaz told French law makers that Iran had reached "a point of no return" on building nuclear weapons -- an ironic statement given Israel's own clandestine nuclear weapons programme. Is it merely a coincidence that as the US rhetoric against Iraq has increased in belligerency, the acts of sabotage in Balochistan have increased in frequency and intensity?

Here, nothing would suit the US better than to aggravate Pakistan-Iran relations -- by planting rumours that somehow Iran was involved in the Balochistan violence, thereby compelling Pakistan to seal the Pakistan-Iran border in a fashion similar to the Pakistan-Afghan border situation. Also, given that the US continues to toy with the idea of a military strike against Iran, the US thinking, based on an amazing sense of naivete, seems to be that somehow if suspicion and animosity is created between Pakistan and Iran, its actions against Iran will have no fallout in Pakistan. It should realise that no matter what the state of the Pakistan-Iran relationship, any military attack against Iran will be seen as a precursor to an attack against Pakistan's strategic assets. Any such USmilitary action will also make it even more difficult for Pakistan to cooperate with the US on strategic issues. Interestingly enough, at present it is certainly not in Iran's interests to have a destabilised Balochistan, given its growing problems with the US and instability on its other borders, especially in the Iraqi context.

For the US there is a much wider context to what is happening in Balochistan. This is linked to its efforts to redraw the map of the Muslim World in the Middle East and West Asia -- what is now being referred to as the "Broader Middle East". Breaking up larger Muslim states, redrawing borders between some of them, creating new political entities -- all these are part of the new strategic game plan. In our own context it is important to remember that the Afghan elections revealed a clear ethnic split, and that targeting Iran also includes seeking opportunities to encourage old notions of "Greater Balochistan". Pakistan must recognise the strong external factors interested in keeping Balochistan destabilised. That is why isolating and removing the local disaffection and re-establishing law and order should be the most critical national priority.


The writer is Director General of the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad.

http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/index.html

Addressing Baloch grievances

By Zubeida Mustafa

As the crisis in Balochistan deepens, frequent references have been made to the East Pakistan tragedy of 1971 and it is recalled how the army action there led to the break-up of the country.

Sardar Sherbaz Mazari, a veteran Baloch politician, said the other day that he didn't want to sound bitter but he felt that the problems in Sui and Gwadar have made the people of Balochistan feel the same way as the people of East Pakistan felt in 1971. He was speaking at the launching ceremony of Brig A. R. Siddiqi's book, East Pakistan: The End Game.

Another analogy drawn by the analysts is that the Baloch have been denied their share in political power as the Bengalis were in the fifties and the sixties and this is alienating them as it had alienated the Bengalis.

There is a lot of truth in these observations. But the fact is that Balochistan is a great deal more complicated than East Pakistan ever was and promises to be much more messy were it to take a turn for the worse.

First of all, the Bengalis were a highly developed people in terms of political consciousness and social awareness. They had participated in the freedom movement - gaining political experience in the process - had well organized and strongly entrenched political parties and a leadership with a substantial popular following.

The Awami League, the party representing the people of East Pakistan, won a massive vote in the 1970 polls. Socially, the East Pakistanis were very advanced, in some ways more than their compatriots in the western wing. Their literacy rate was higher and they were better educated than their countrymen in West Pakistan.

The rate of literacy in East Pakistan in the 1961 census was recorded as 23.8 per cent when it was only 16.4 in West Pakistan. The problem of East Pakistan was fundamentally one of the economic exploitation of the provincial resources and the exclusion of its people from the corridors of power.

True, this is also the problem of the Baloch. But the analogy ends there. While the Bengalis were highly developed - socially and culturally - the people of Balochistan have been kept in a state of backwardness, deprivation and illiteracy all these decades.

It was only in the seventies that democracy - albeit with all its imperfections as has been the wont in Pakistan - came to Balochistan which got an assembly for the first time.

Thereafter, the tribal leaders got a free hand to operate under the political system as the feudals did in other provinces. In spite of the abolition of the sardari system, the sardars remained entrenched in their position of power and pelf.

For the people, it has been exploitation all the way. Democracy has not brought them any benefits. Illiteracy is high, social services are poor and the standard of living is abysmal - most villages have no electricity or gas. Not that the sardars have been starved of funds.

As the head of a tribe, a sardar enjoys many perks and privileges. Take the case of Akbar Bugti who owns the land where the Sui gas fields are located. He is paid a handsome sum - anything between Rs 60 to Rs 120 million is anybody's guess - by the PPL for the "use" of his land.

All this money has reportedly gone into his personal exchequer and has not been ploughed back into the land and the people to uplift them and improve the quality of their life.

The irony is that these are the leaders who claim to speak for their people although they have never tried to improve their lot in areas where their writ is absolute. In the absence of any other credible leadership, the sardars are accepted as the spokesmen of the Baloch - good or bad.

The alternative is no better. The political leaders, who are subservient to Islamabad and by virtue of that relationship hold office, exercise very little influence as they are seen as stooges of the federal government.

This situation is quite unlike that of East Pakistan in 1971. The Bengalis had a well developed political leadership which enjoyed the confidence of the people. Without a stable and structured representative leadership, the Baloch are worse off as there is no one to speak on their behalf.

The present situation where the sardars are locked in a grim battle with Islamabad amounts to the elephants fighting each other and the grass being trampled by them.

It is a pity that those at the helm have failed to use imaginative political and sensible economic approaches to find a way out of the quagmire. Neither has the leadership in Quetta tried to use its position and the funds made available to it to bring about socio-economic development of the people. For Islamabad, the simplest strategy appears to be a military one.

First, there was talk of army action. When there was a hue and cry against this - again East Pakistan was cited as an example of a study in failure - the government backed out and declared that it did not plan to use military force.

It was thereafter that the president and the prime minister began to speak of a dialogue with the Baloch leaders. But so far the talks that have been held with various Baloch leaders in Karachi and the all parties conference organized in Quetta have only helped to take attention away from what is happening on the ground in Balochistan itself.

After the rocket attacks on the gas purification plant in early January, the government has declared that it will protect the installations at Sui at any cost because they are state property and must be guarded against violence by the "miscreants".

On this pretext, the government is clearing a belt of land around the gas fields and 1,500 people have been uprooted from their homes and moved five kilometres or so away from the installations.

It is also now known that a cantonment is being set up at Sui and a brigade is being stationed there. All this was preceded by a house-to-house search. Since the government chooses not to define such measures as military action, it is under the false belief that the situation is improving.

It is not. Were a full-fledged confrontation to break out between the two sides, there would be no avenue for conflict resolution. The sardars, who are not exactly the darlings of the people, would this time hardly find themselves in a position to speak on behalf of the people - a very dangerous situation.

The Balochistan conundrum cannot be resolved in a hurry. There are no quick fix solutions available. The government can help by avoiding the use of force so as not to provoke the Baloch any more.

It would also help if many of the facilities denied to the Baloch are extended to them to pacify them. But most important of all, Islamabad should allow an indigenous Baloch leadership, independent of the sardars to emerge.

Balochistan does have a minuscule middle class which has professionals and educated people in its ranks. Some of them are in politics too and have managed to get elected.

But they are sidelined when there is talk of a dialogue. It is time they were allowed to come forward and speak for their people. They do not have to be patronized as that would rob them of their credibility. But their way must not be blocked either.

http://www.dawn.com/2005/02/02/op.htm#3

Jang.com.pk

Senate begins debate on Balochistan

By Rauf Klasra

ISLAMABAD: The government on Wednesday vociferously questioned the "valiant norms" of the Bugti tribe by revealing a horrific rape-and-murder story of a university girl student by a son of Nawab Akbar Bugti in the Senate on Wednesday.

"Where were the Baloch champions of women dignity and where the valour had gone in Balochistan, when none other than the late son of the tribal chief assaulted and murdered a young girl at a Lahore hotel," roared Senator Kamal Ali Agha, the chief whip of the ruling party.

Mention of the incident triggered shouting and catcalling between Agha and furious Baloch nationalist lawmakers, with no relent from either side. Agha rose on his seat in order to salvage his party that faced with scathing attacks from opposition.

Narrating the story, Agha alleged that late Talal Bugti had wounded the victim, with thorns and threw her down from Lahore’s Faletti’s, after assaulting here. Earlier, the opposition senators lashed out at the government when formal debate started on the Balochistan situation. The Baloch senators were particularly harsh in their speeches and they criticised the government for the rape of Dr Shazia.

APP adds: The Senate on Wednesday started debate on the situation in Balochistan after the House unanimously adopted an adjournment motion moved by Opposition Leader Raza Rabbani to discuss the recent occurrences in the province.

Senator Amanullah Kinrani participating in the debate gave an account of the incident of a lady doctor in Sui and claimed this incident was aimed at sabotaging the report of a Parliamentary Committee on Balochistan, for which the people of the province were waiting.

He also claimed that events of January 7 to 11 (attack on Sui installations) was a reaction of local people against the incident. Kinrani demanded that culprits involved in this incident be taken to task.

Taking part in the debate, Senator Khalid Ranjha said dishonour of a lady doctor in Balochistan is regrettable and those responsible for this inhuman act should be taken to task. He said issue of Balochistan is a national issue and we should develop a national approach to collectively resolve it.

Ranjha said every one must adopt a constructive approach towards resolution of problems facing the Balochistan people in light of the constitutional provisions. Advisor to the Prime Minister on Women Development, Nilofar Bakhtiar said the government took timely action and sent Provincial Minister of Sindh, Sadia Malik to record statement of the lady doctor.

She said the government also has sympathy with the lady doctor and those responsible will have to face the law. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Dr Sher Afgan Niazi called for adopting a political approach for the resolution of issues in Balochistan. Senator Tanvir Khalid emphasised the importance of creating harmony and congenial atmosphere for bringing the miseries of people there to an end through sustainable development process.

I have had enough of the gov soft handling of the balochistan situation. people behind the daily blasts need a big ** . Time to launch a big offensive in the troubled regions. These people will stop at nothing. all they want is more money for themselves , the talk of balochi nationalism is just a mask to hide their own greed for power and money. Send in the military and get the job done. The royalty of the natural resources of balochistan should be given to the balochi and not to these criminals like bugati and mengel.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...4-2-2005_pg1_2

India and Iran see Gwadar with disfavour, says study

By Khalid Hasan

WASHINGTON: The under construction Gwadar Port is viewed with disfavour and suspicion by India and Iran, as they see it as a rival to Iran’s Chahbahar Port that was built with Indian assistance and was meant to serve as Central Asia’s conduit to warm waters.

According to an analytical article published in the current issue of the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, Pakistani scholar Zia Haider, currently at the Stimson Centre in Washington, calls Gwadar as lying at the “heart of President Pervez Musharraf’s vision of prosperity for Pakistan”, as it would transform Pakistan into a vibrant hub of commercial activity among the energy-rich Gulf, Central Asia, Afghanistan and China, as well as provide the Pakistan Navy with strategic depth along its coastline. It will also enable China to diversify its crude oil import routes and extend its presence in the Indian Ocean. China has contributed 80 percent of the funding and supplied 450 workers, apart from technical assistance.

According to Haider, the port fuels bitter discontent among local Baloch nationalists who believe that the benefits of the project will bypass them and who maintain longstanding grievances against Pakistan’s federal government. The port also presents a potentially irresistible target to Al Qaeda as payback for Pakistan’s cooperation in the US-led war on terror. While Pakistan and China believe that the port will deliver significant economic and military gains, India, Iran, and the local Baloch view it as a potential threat to their economic interests and security, and Al Qaeda presumably rejects it as Pakistan’s steppingstone to becoming a stronger, more prosperous state.

“Realising the Gwadar dream in such an inimical environment will not be easy; however, Islamabad can bolster its position by adopting a two-pronged strategy,” suggests Haider. First, it must recognise that the port’s greatest opponent is its own people, the local Baloch, and it must assure them of their stake in a project of critical importance to national security. Failure to build a consensus on the port could result in its violent derailment and possibly preclude future Chinese manpower and technical assistance on development projects due to security concerns. Second, Pakistani officials should leverage the port to attract Chinese investment and to forge a vibrant economic relationship with China that reflects their strong politico-military relationship. For Pakistan to reap the dividends of the Gwadar Port, the Baloch and Beijing need to be firmly anchored to it.

Two key regional players, Iran and India, Haider writes, see Gwadar as being built in their ‘backyard’. India’s new naval doctrine, released in 2004, specifically seeks to address its need to secure energy routes and counter the Chinese presence in the Arabian Sea. Indian Navy long-range planning officers have stated that as the depletion of the world oil reserves will bring more regional powers to the Indian Ocean, India needs to bolster its striking power and command-and-control, surveillance, and intelligence capabilities. The doctrine particularly highlights China’s nuclear missile submarines and its ties with Indian Ocean rim nations, including Pakistan. Iran’s response to Gwadar has been to construct its own Chahbahar Port and tacitly compete with Pakistan in capturing access routes and energy-related trade from Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Iran has an advantage as it enjoys closer relations with Central Asian states and Afghanistan than does Pakistan. Kabul is using Chahbahar at reduced rates. However, this “inter-port rivalry” may in fact prove to be beneficial by stimulating even greater trade in the region. “The competition and cooperation over the Gwadar Port thus demonstrates the increasingly important and fluid linkages between countries in the Middle East and Central, South, and East Asia as economic ties are created,” he writes.

According to Haider, “having been largely excluded from the decision-making process surrounding the port, the Baloch worry that the economic gains of the project will be siphoned off to the other provinces; the influx of non-Baloch in the region seeking employment will displace the Baloch and dilute their culture; and the Pakistan Army will continue to consolidate its military presence in the region by opening more cantonments”.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by H Khan

Gawadar and Turbat are part of Mekran division which is one of the four divisions of Balochistan. This division generates the lowest income amongst the four, the highest being of Sibi Division (Sibi & Usta Mohammad) where the Sui gas is located at. If these barons/sardars want to do so much for the development why didn't they invest in Mekran Division? To add fuel to fire, Bugti and Mangle were CM and Governors of the provinces several times but never took the development of the province as their first priority. It is a sad story but the fact is the time is up for these people. They are anti-state elements and they should be dealt in the manner they treat others.

---

H Khan,
For your knowledge, their are no divisions in Pakistan. If as you say that you are quite familiar with the conditions in Pakistan, especially Balochistan then you would know that since the introduction of Local Govt Ordinance of 2002, there are only districts in a province and Balochistan has 24 or 26 Districts.

Bugti and Mangle were CM and Governors of the provinces several times

For my knowledge can you tell me the 'several times' Mengal was the Governor or Chief Minister of Balochistan.

Yahya,

One on hand you are claiming to live in Balochistan for several years and on the other you are saying of no Division system in Balochistan. Let me remind and refresh your memory.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yahya

H Khan,
For your knowledge, their are no divisions in Pakistan. If as you say that you are quite familiar with the conditions in Pakistan, especially Balochistan then you would know that since the introduction of Local Govt Ordinance of 2002, there are only districts in a province and Balochistan has 24 or 26 Districts.

---

Prior to LB election of 2002 Balochistan had four divisions:

Quetta Division:
Quetta district council
Pishin
Zhob
Loralai
Chagai

Kalat Division:
Kalat District council
Khuzdar
Kharan

Sibi Division:
Sibi District council
Kachhi
Kohlu
Usta Mohammad

Mekran Division:
Turbat District council
Punjgur
Gawadar

Quote:

---

For my knowledge can you tell me the 'several times' Mengal was the Governor or Chief Minister of Balochistan.

---

Can you please check and see which tribe Khan of Kalat belong to? ;)

Following are my feelings and opinions regarding the term of events in Balochistan province. We need to explore the external elements/countries that may be assisting the terrorists in Balochistan and understand their motives. I can think of 5 elements/countries.

Afghanistan – members of Northern Alliance may want to payback Pakistan for its alleged support of Taliban.

India – obviously, they will not miss any opportunity to harm Pakistan

Iran – I have never been a fan of Post Shah Iranian Government. I do not care much for the notion of Ummah and brotherhood. Because my experience tells me that generally other Islamic countries care for their own self interests. It was Iran that informed IAEA about the assistance it received from A.Q. Khan.
Iran may be unhappy and unsettled with American presence in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq. Feels threatened that it may be next target for America. Also if to believe the recent stories that Pakistan is assisting America with the surveillance of Iranian Nuclear site, Iran could make sure that there is enough unrest and disturbance that it preoccupies Pakistan armed forces and hence hinders the movement of U.S Forces in the province. After all Pakistan would want to use the military infrastructure to suppress any rebellion and armed nuisance.
Also Iran may view the development of Gwader as an economic threat. Also If Pakistan starts exploring and developing additional energy resources than it may marginalize Iran’s effort to export its fossil fuel. Why would Pakistan need an oil pipeline passing through its territory if she has achieved self sufficiency in energy?

Russia – Russia is not happy with America. She feels that America is encroaching in its sphere of influence in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Russia does not have the resources to confront America openly, therefore by use of proxy’s it can cause nuisance for America. Therefore create destabilization in Balochistan, indirectly making it difficult for America to use the province for its war effort against terror. Also Russia could also use it as payback for Pakistan’s support against Russian occupation in Afghanistan.

Drug warlords – It may seem far fetched. But with the presence of American and Pakistani forces and economic development in Gwader, it may hamper processing and smuggling of narcotics across border. They have the ill gotten cash. They can easily use it to exploit the situation and bankroll the anti-government elements. If military and paramilitary forces are preoccupied than they will have fewer resources available to check drug smuggling.

Off course this does not take away from and valid grievances that people of Balochistan have. Also no matter what there are small elements who do not want to see prosperity in the region because it will diminish their influence. These elements will take advantage of any events to promote their selfish causes.

GOP needs more than military action to resolve the issue on a permanent basis. Help create economic opportunities. Make efforts that locals are employed. In addition to paying loyalty to the tribal chiefs, government should further develop the infrastructure. Set up schools and health facilities. Let the people see that GOP really cares.

As far the above mentioned elements, Pakistan should through America tell Afghanistan, India and Russia to back off. Make it clear to America that the destabilizing efforts by those countries will distract Pakistan from its assistance with war against terror and also directly hampers American forces.

I did not mention Iran, because they really do not care for America. But Pakistan on its own should warn them that to desist any involvement in Balochistan.

Hasib

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by H Khan

Yahya,

One on hand you are claiming to live in Balochistan for several years and on the other you are saying of no Division system in Balochistan. Let me remind and refresh your memory.



Prior to LB election of 2002 Balochistan had four divisions:

Quetta Division:
Quetta district council
Pishin
Zhob
Loralai
Chagai

Kalat Division:
Kalat District council
Khuzdar
Kharan

Sibi Division:
Sibi District council
Kachhi
Kohlu
Usta Mohammad

Mekran Division:
Turbat District council
Punjgur
Gawadar


Can you please check and see which tribe Khan of Kalat belong to? ;)

---

HKhan,
I am also talking about the present. I still maintain that there are no administrative divisions in Pakistan and Balochistan is no exception. Please read my post carefully.
As regards the 'several times' Mengal was Governor and Chief Minister of Balochistan, I am still waiting for your reply.
The Khan of Kalat belongs to the Ahmadzai family. I can post a complete lineage from 17th Century onwards in case you need that - as a reference.

QUETTA, Feb 06: Suspected bomb blasts caused major damage to a train track and a gas pipe, officials said, as a rebellion by tribesmen simmered in Quetta. The main railway line between Quetta was severed for the second time in a week. Two metres (yards) of track were blown up some 120 kilometres (70 miles) from Quetta, which has itself been hit by a number of blasts in recent months, provincial interior minister Aftab Jamal Ahmad told AFP. Meanwhile a shadowy nationalist group called the Baluchistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for a blast which wrecked a gas line in the neighbouring province of Punjab. "This shows we can strike whenever and wherever we like," the organisation's purported spokesman Azad Baluch -- an apparent non de guerre meaning Free Baluchistan -- said in a telephone call to local journalists. Gas officials confirmed a line ruptured near Mangrotha in Dera Ghazi Khan district and some supplies were halted. They said the cause could not be found because it was dark at the site but did not rule out sabotage. (AFP) (Posted @ 10:30 PST)

Whats the gov waiting for. This requires a wanna style op more than wanna needeed. Send the airforce with the army in and get the job done. Tell Iran not to get to chummy with us or they can see a couple of irannian bases going up in thin air.
:mad:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by osman

Whats the gov waiting for. This requires a wanna style op more than wanna needeed. Send the airforce with the army in and get the job done. Tell Iran not to get to chummy with us or they can see a couple of irannian bases going up in thin air.
:mad:

---

Osman,
dont we have enough fronts? Why do you want to open a front wih Iran? If at all there is a country that we should be fighting, it is definitely not Iran.
As regards Wana and Balochistan the military operations there have totally different dimensions. The military operation in Wana has gone a long way in correcting the perception that Pakistan is not doing much in its own backyard to fight terrorism. A military operation in Balochistan would reinforce the perception that we are intolerant and rash, that we are quick to use military rather than political solutions. This does not mean that we should compromise on security of vital installations. The following article may interest you.
http://www.dawn.com/2005/02/05/op.htm#2

I think the Iranians are wanting a front themselves. It has been going on for years now. They have been supporting sectarian tensions in Pakistan. Mind you i also condemn the support provided by the Arabs to the other factions. Its time we tell both these dumb heads to keep away from our internal affairs or else they can see some consequences. Iranians have been chumming up to the Indians since the past 2 years and i consider them our number 2 enemy just behind India.
As for the balochistan situation i don't see how the gov can talk with these guys, they have been blowing up federal/provincial property since many years even before this rape incident. If it has to be i would fully support the gov in handing out the last paisa of the gas royalties to the provincial gov to be spent on the province, but handing out jirga tax to criminals like bugti is no way to live in the 21st century. I say spend as much money as is needed to bring balochistan at par with the other provinces, but all i ask is that we deal with these traitors this time and eliminate them .
Enough is enough. This is not the whole balochistan against the federal gov but just a tribe or two who are asking for more than they deserve. :mad:
One thing these guys have to remember and that is that the house always wins it may take some time but at the end they will have to go along the mainstream. The JS in sindh, the MQM and Alzulfikar have all seen that you cant fight the gov for very long and they had to join the mainstream sooner or latter.
I have been in pakistan recently and must say that Pakistan is moving very fast in the positive direction with all kind of buiseness picking up and people enjoying a better life standard then people could ever imagine a couple of years ago and its time these dumb heads also let the people living in their areas reap some benifits of this rapid expansion. Just consider what the average balochi could do with the new investment in oil and gas coming to his area, at last this vast province can start playing a bigger part in the country than it has been able to do till now.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yahya

HKhan,
I am also talking about the present. I still maintain that there are no administrative divisions in Pakistan and Balochistan is no exception. Please read my post carefully.
As regards the 'several times' Mengal was Governor and Chief Minister of Balochistan, I am still waiting for your reply.
The Khan of Kalat belongs to the Ahmadzai family. I can post a complete lineage from 17th Century onwards in case you need that - as a reference.

---

Yahya,

Please go and check your facts again. You are roaming in a dark circle where you are not able to see what are the facts. No punn intended.

If anyone in Pakistan goes and destroys public property they should be destroyed in the similar manner. No mercy or compassion for this type of behavior!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by H Khan

Yahya,

Please go and check your facts again. You are roaming in a dark circle where you are not able to see what are the facts. No punn intended.

---

HKhan,
I know my facts. Administrative Divisions ceased to exist in 2002. Please learn to accept the ground reality that does not match your perception without being bitter and sarcastic.
I am still waiting for an answer to my query of the 'several times' Mengal was the Chief Minister and Governor of Balochistan.
Do you need more details on tribes of other Sardars?

Yahya,

You make oxymoronic statements.

On one hand, you talk about the historical assertions and take them as the holy grail of your arguments. Sadly, on the other hand, you talk about the year 2002 when all the Divisions of Balochistan were dissolved and erase what had taken prior to 2002. Division system was there for decades and it counts as benchmark for the report of Balochistan. Before you start an argument try setting up parameters and than stick to it.

As far as you waiting for the Mengals and Bugtis being CM and Gov. in Balochistan, you can keep waiting on until you open books and see it yourself what is truth or partial truth.

You are living in a completely different cocoon than what the actual ground realities are. Every freaking day your "innocent and deprived Baloch" is blowing up and destroying public property and which is harming the citizenry of Pakistan. You are calling for a dialog but your "innocent and deprived Baloch" are using 30mm AAA, RPG-7, mines, and large caliber machine guns to destroy Pakistan. No one has the right or the authority to take arms against Pakistan! Anyone does that should be destroyed!

I have been following this discussion with interest and I must thank all those who have contributed to increasing my knowledge in this matter, both in terms of the events and their analysis as well as the attitude towards this issue.

One thing is clear, that the solution has to be long-term and in the interests of the people of Pakistan. And I consider the Baluchis, especially the common man in Baluchistan at par with any other Pakistani. Despite their unfortunate circumstance they are not lesser human beings and deserve the same amount of care and opportunity for growth as others.

As I see it, the problem is essentially political. While not compromising on protecting the national assets the govt. should look for a political solution. Musharraf is unfortunately saddled with the problem of Baluchistan province that should not have been there had the previous govts. paid attention to the development of the province. These govts. instead continued to appease the Sardars while neglecting the general development.

However what has been done cannot be undone.

Here I am going to make an assumption and I would like those who know more about the area and its politics to kindly confirm that my assumption is correct. My assumption is that the political climate in Baluchistan is not as mature as in other parts of the country and the Sardars are the closest things that a common Baluchi has to a representative. Whereas in other parts we have a political structure which can represent the aspirations of the people, e.g. MQM and PPP in Sind, PML and MMA in Punjab and MMA and ANP in NWFP, we do not have similar political representation in Baluchistan. The Sardars, in whatever shape or form their present themselves, are the best vehicle for the govt. to get to the common man and vice versa.

Unfortunate as it is, it seems that for the present we have to negotiate with the Baluchi Sardars. Unless we equate the situation in Baluchistan with Iraq (bear with me in this analogy as it is not as far fetched as it may seem at first blush) i.e. essentially good people but bad (very bad/evil) leadership. And just like the US approach we want to “shock and awe” the populace and the leadership/miscreants, eliminate the bad men who are at the top, militarily occupy the area and then hold fresh elections and be a “mid-wife” for a brand new political system: we should give the political dialogue a chance. I hope that sanity prevails and judging from the latest news reports (especially the report of the parliamentary committee) sanity does seem to have an upper hand.

I sincerely hope that this ‘political’ handling of Sardars is for the last time and that the govt. will take steps to encourage emergence of moderate Baluchi leadership besides making up for the past neglect in development of the province. The govt. should take measures to address the sense of deprivation of the common Baluchi, as this is what the Sardars exploit.

My fear is that the military action might remain along the lines of the one in the 70s. Sure the military is more powerful now and can deal with the miscreants in a more efficient manner, however, the political and economic follow through will be weak and will lack the same amount of urgency and push that the military action carries.

This is a critical time for Pakistan and Baluchistan is a crucial region for the future growth of the country. My hopes and prayers are with the govt. and their long-term, judicious and wise use of force, both hard and soft.

These are my opinions, I am sure many will disagree as this issue is a passionate one and the stakes are high.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by H Khan

As far as you waiting for the Mengals and Bugtis being CM and Gov. in Balochistan, you can keep waiting on until you open books and see it yourself what is truth or partial truth.

---

H Khan,
unfortunately the books that I have do not show Mengal as being Governor and Chief Minister of Balochistan for several times. Can you tell me in which book(s) are the 'several' tenures of Mengal as Chief Minister and Governor listed. I am sorry but I am fond of history and like to know the facts, especially when they pertain to an area that I have been associated with.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TariqA

Here I am going to make an assumption and I would like those who know more about the area and its politics to kindly confirm that my assumption is correct. My assumption is that the political climate in Baluchistan is not as mature as in other parts of the country and the Sardars are the closest things that a common Baluchi has to a representative. Whereas in other parts we have a political structure which can represent the aspirations of the people, e.g. MQM and PPP in Sind, PML and MMA in Punjab and MMA and ANP in NWFP, we do not have similar political representation in Baluchistan. The Sardars, in whatever shape or form their present themselves, are the best vehicle for the govt. to get to the common man and vice versa.

---

Tariq,
you are correct to an extent. There are political parties in Balochistan, but most of them (especially in Balochi and Brohi belts) are 'Balochi Nationalist' oriented and are headed by the Sardars. So, essentially you are right that the Sardars are the voice of the Balochi people and unfortunately to a large extent command their respect (forced or otherwise). The Pashtun belt i.e northern Balochistan (Quetta, Zhob etc) has a political culture similar to NWFP. If you follow the pattern of insurgencies, you will see that the in 70's the worst hit were the Marri and Bugti areas, followed by Jhalawan (Khuzdar etc). These are all Balochi and Brohi areas. The Pashtun belt remained peacefull generally. The current disturbances are also in the same belt.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...8-2-2005_pg1_5

QUETTA: The constitution does not apply to the Baloch because a majority of Baloch leaders refrained from endorsing the document when parliament approved it in 1973, said Nawab Akbar Bugti, chief of the Bugti tribe, on Monday. Talking to a private television channel, Nawab Bugti said only two of the five members from Balochistan signed the constitution, which was passed by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s government. He said, “We (the Baloch) are not a signatory to the constitution. We neither voted for it nor we signed it and therefore it does not apply to us.” Denying links between the JWP (his party) and the Baloch Liberation Front (BLF), he said the BLF came into being during Zulfikar Bhutto’s era, but it was not alone and the BLA and People’s Liberation Front were also active. online

New demands from BLA: :D :D I'm all for ordinary Balouchis getting their full rights & development, but these guys are taking the pi$$.....................No-one ever comments on how mega-rich evil Punjabis have absorbed millions of Kashmiris (my family is Kashmiri and from Amritsar before partition), Biharis, Pathans, Bengalis, Indians, Afghans and all sorts of races without any complaint.................No wonder alot of Punjabis are getting fed up too.



More blasts in Balochistan, no one hurt

* Four explosions destroy rail bridge, track
* Security tightened around gas field after BLA threat

Staff Report

QUETTA/MULTAN: Suspected tribesmen blew up a telephone tower in a village near Barkhan, some 350km east of here, on Monday, disconnecting some 20,000 telephone lines but injuring no one.

A Levies official in Loralai district said the tower, a control room, batteries and solar energy system had been completely destroyed, causing PTCL damages of Rs 40 million. It would take at least a couple of days to restore 20,000 phone lines cut in Barkhan and neighbouring Rakni, a PTCL official told AP. A spokesman for the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack.

A railway bridge near Damboli station and track were blown up near Sibi. A Railways official said there were four blasts that went off consecutively. A Levies official said that all trains en route to Sibi had been stopped. No casualty was reported. Nobody immediately claimed responsibility.

There was another blast in the suburbs of Quetta on Monday afternoon, but it caused no damage.

Security was tightened around the Dhodak gas field and state infrastructure in central Punjab after the BLA threatened bomb blasts in the area, police said.

Azad Baloch, the BLA’s purported spokesman, called local journalists threatening to blow up the gas plant at Dhodhak and bridge over Sangarh Nullah if Punjabis were not ejected from the Dhodhak gas field, which is in Punjab. He said Taunsa Sharif and the tribal belt in Punjab should be a part of Balochistan.

QUETTA, Pakistan, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Suspected tribal militants blew up a section of rail track in southwestern Pakistan, snapping train services between the city of Quetta and the rest of the country, officials said on Tuesday.

The attack was the latest by the militants seeking greater autonomy in Baluchistan, the country's biggest but poorest of four provinces.

Railway officials said a 3-foot (one-metre) section of track was blown up near the town of Sibi on Monday night, suspending train services to and from Quetta. Sibi is about 100 km (60 miles) southeast of Quetta.

Repair work had started, the officials said.

Baluchi tribal militants have run a low level insurgency against central rule for decades but they have stepped up activities in recent weeks with frequent attacks on transport routes, power and telephone lines and gas production facilities.

In the worst attack, as many as 15 people died on Jan. 11 when tribesmen fired rockets at Pakistan's main gas field at Sui, about 400 km (250 miles) southeast of Quetta, cutting off supplies for more than a week.

The government has deployed thousands of additional troops to guard Sui, but analysts say authorities will seek a political solution to the crisis rather than risk escalating military action.



02/08/05 01:12 ET

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MohammedA

New demands from BLA: :D :D I'm all for ordinary Balouchis getting their full rights & development, but these guys are taking the pi$$.....................No-one ever comments on how mega-rich evil Punjabis have absorbed millions of Kashmiris (my family is Kashmiri and from Amritsar before partition), Biharis, Pathans, Bengalis, Indians, Afghans and all sorts of races without any complaint.................No wonder alot of Punjabis are getting fed up too. [/B]

---

Mohammad A,
your grieviance is justified, because Panjab has indeed absorbed more ethnic groups than any one else barring Sindhis. But even in Sind there is a distinction between settlers and locals, whereas in Panjab there is no such distinction. You do not find MQM in Panjab because the Urdu speaking migrants merged with the local Panjabis. However, being in majority, more developed, more powerful and having called shots for over half a century the Panjabis are understandbly under fire. I do not have to repeat the charges that are levelled against the Panjabis, but not all of them are unjustified. If we can learn from our past mistakes and help generate ethnic tolerance we would certainly be less hated and even given genuine respect as the elder brother. This is not wishful thinking but something that is doable.

This is a good one. Not sure what PM and team are waiting for?....why give the nationalist in Baluchistan any room to complain?? Get in there, conduct a fully transparent investigation and after due course of law, punish the culprits....not sure what they are trying to hide?....someone mentioned to me that the Capt involved has some very influential relatives in the Army who are trying to block the investigation......if I were PM, I'd make a point of screwing over these people in the Army....the whole country is buying into this anti-Army perception and the more delay there is, the more negative become the opinions of the people about the Army and the establishment.

I certainly feel the way its described in the article below (esp. in bold since I usually am a vehement supporter of PM & team)

Read their lips with care

By Anjum Niaz


Many Pakistanis living in the US are feeling perturbed about many a sensitive issue that Pakistan is faced with.

On every media buff's lips is Pakistan. And for all the wrong reasons too. Repeating the word 'freedom' 27 times and 'liberty' 15 in his inaugural address last week, the world's most powerful man went into an overdrive against tyrannical leaders who denied democracy, human rights and justice to their people. President Bush made a sweeping promise to support the oppressed in their fight against shogunate governments.

"All who live in tyranny and hopelessness can know: the United States will not ignore your oppression or excuse your oppressors. When you stand for your liberty, we will stand with you," he vowed in freezing temperatures under an American flag.

Nanosecond had these words left the president; TV commentators began finger-pointing Pakistan, infamously bracketing it with Saudi Arabia and Egypt for their authoritarian regimes, lack of women's rights and a poor human rights record.

Today President Musharraf has become the defiler of democracy. Yesterday, he was the architect of 'enlightened moderation' bringing his country back from the brink of terrorism as Condi Rice testified in her confirmation hearings last week.

A banter of think tanks, newspapers and TV pundits now orchestrate that Musharraf is a trampler of human rights, likening him to the Saudi king and Egypt's Hosni Mubarak.

Senator Patrick Leahy, a ranking member of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee comments: "While everybody can agree with Bush's desire to promote democracy, freedom of expression and diversity of thought, his speech might alarm some allies like Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan that don't follow such principles."

"How hard will President Bush press for women's rights and free elections in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt?" is on everyone's lips. Wondering how Bush will break bread with Musharraf, backslapping and barbecuing at the former's Crawford ranch (some time in the future) are the analysts at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington DC. Why this sudden impugning of Musharraf?

It's not rocket science. In truth, the brutalization at Sui of Dr Shazia Khalid is the last straw to irk the West. Shocked beyond belief that Musharraf, who heads the army, is loath to name the rapists in uniform, the western media's soft corner for the general, adored for his plain speak in the past, has gone awry.

"Why is Pakistan army considered the holy cow?" ask many Pakistani-Americans, incensed with the shabby way the government has tried to shield the rapists. "If America can try its army men in the Abu Ghraib abuse of Iraqi prisoners and throw them in prison unceremoniously while the world has watched, why is Musharraf so reluctant to bring to justice the men who broke into the woman's room and in the darkness of the night gang-raped her?"

The fickle and lackadaisical response of the federal cabinet - the largest in history - under Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, after the locals opted to take the law in their own hands and torch Sui only reinforces the male chauvinism and an utter disregard for women.

"Blown out of proportion" - yes, this is what the cabinet called the Shazia Khalid rape case. How droll and comical can these ministers get?

Guess what? Such callous comments from responsible spokesmen of the government like the information minister only damage Islamabad's image abroad.

Not only has the government of Pakistan suffered millions in getting the Sui gas plant working again, it has invited the wrath of the world - nay not wrath but utter disgust.

It's many steps backwards for professional women, wanting to serve outside their homes - that option has now been snatched away from them. Additionally, it has deprived thousands, nay millions of rural folks of getting specialists' attention. Tell me, which family, in its right mind, will have the heart and courage to send its girls away from home to face unknown monsters?

Who then is the loser? Not Musharraf, nor the army - but the women of Pakistan in particular and the populace in general all across our hinterlands.

Only a week before Balochistan trouble started, the Human Rights Watch, headquartered at New York sounded warning sirens about Pakistan's deplorable treatment of its women.

Eerily prophetic, the 2005 report spoke of "rampant" violence against women and girls, including rape, "honour killings," acid attacks, and trafficking.

"The existing legal code discriminates against women and girls and creates major obstacles to seeking redress in cases of violence. Survivors of violent encounters and unresponsiveness and hostility at each level of the criminal justice system, from the police who fail to register or investigate cases of gender-based violence to judges with little training or commitment to women's equal rights."

Is this not exactly what happened to Shazia Khalid or are we all living in a cloud-cuckoo-land?

Why is there a deafening silence against the law enforcing officials who refused to hear the victim's cry for justice?

Shame on everyone.

"Under Pakistan's existing Hudood Ordinance, proof of rape generally requires the confession of the accused or the testimony of four adult Muslim men who witnessed the assault. If a woman cannot prove her rape allegation she runs a very high risk of being charged with fornication or adultery, the criminal penalty for which is either a long prison sentence and public whipping, or, though rare, death by stoning. The testimony of women carries half the weight of a man's testimony under this ordinance," says the Human Rights Watch Report.

So don't be surprised if you wake up one day to find Shazia Khalid in jail. Nothing new, actually, she would have merely swelled the number, estimated at 200,000 women incriminated under Hudood laws to date.

The nation, specifically the leaders of this Islamic republic, owe an apology to Shazia Khalid and her brave husband, who have had the courage to go public in the face of societal stigma that rape victims carry for life.

The young couple are our heroes and not the endless lines of emasculated 'democratic' leaders, most of them turncoats, corrupt and without a shred of shame.

"Musharraf has successfully convinced the United States - and other countries - that he is Pakistan's indispensable man. Claiming that only he can save Pakistan's fragile democracy Musharraf has essentially been given a pass on the exile and jailing of opposition political leaders and serious human rights abuses by the Pakistani army," writes Ali Dayan Hasan, Pakistan researcher for Human Rights Watch.

New York-based Association of Pakistani Professionals (AOPP) website has been inundated with angry e-mailers demanding harshest punishment for the rapists. Its president, Asif Alam, calls the Sui incident "one of biggest disasters for Pakistan in terms of image building."

It has left us vulnerable in many ways, he says. The most important among them being the human rights issue, which should be "addressed by the government immediately and made sure that such incidents never take place in future".

Here's another voice that reflects the views of many Pakistanis in America: "I would not like to work on protecting the image of a government which protects and encourages rapists. The government must prove its position in this case first before I go on lobbying in USA for Musharraf."

Read their lips with care.

There are similar comments here too:

http://www.pakdef.info/forum/showthr...&page=10&pp=25

Three issues here:

1. Alleged cover-up by army personnel & their relatives. If its true I say string them all up by their testicles even if they are generals, and fully publicise all of their names. If true, they are a disgrace to the army.
2. Karo kari - how come nobody is being punished over the death sentence that has been issued against the victim! She may now have to emigrate to the USA.
3. Political opportunists taking advantage of the situation.


http://www.pakistanlink.com/Opinion/...eb05/04/02.htm

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by syed saad

This is a good one. Not sure what PM and team are waiting for?....why give the nationalist in Baluchistan any room to complain?? Get in there, conduct a fully transparent investigation and after due course of law, punish the culprits....not sure what they are trying to hide?....someone mentioned to me that the Capt involved has some very influential relatives in the Army who are trying to block the investigation......if I were PM, I'd make a point of screwing over these people in the Army....the whole country is buying into this anti-Army perception and the more delay there is, the more negative become the opinions of the people about the Army and the establishment.

---

Syed Saad,
You are absolutley corect the Army should come out with a clear statement on the issue. The delay is leading to unnecessary speculations and not doing any good to the Army's image. I do not know if the Captain has any influential relatives, but one thing is for sure that the army will not cover up for the captain if he is guilty, influential relatives or no influential relatives. If you recollect the Army sentenced to death and hanged Captain Jamil in 1995/96. He was found guilty of causing death of innocent villagers during the Army operation in Sind in 1992.
I believe a full fledged inquiry on the Sui incident is on or has been completed and the cfficer concerned has volunteered to have a DNA test. However, where there is smoke there is fire and the issue has also been politicised to an extent and that is regretable.

Quote:

---

Mohammad A,
your grieviance is justified, because Panjab has indeed absorbed more ethnic groups than any one else barring Sindhis. But even in Sind there is a distinction between settlers and locals, whereas in Panjab there is no such distinction. You do not find MQM in Panjab because the Urdu speaking migrants merged with the local Panjabis. However, being in majority, more developed, more powerful and having called shots for over half a century the Panjabis are understandbly under fire. I do not have to repeat the charges that are levelled against the Panjabis, but not all of them are unjustified. If we can learn from our past mistakes and help generate ethnic tolerance we would certainly be less hated and even given genuine respect as the elder brother. This is not wishful thinking but something that is doable.

---

That is fair enough - and what measures do you suggest Punjab should take?
But for how long will Pakistan govt tolerate destruction of valuable infrastructure in Balouchistan and elsewhere, and more importantly slowly re-emerging business-friendly/non-pariah image that has taken literally years of hard-work and I would even say deaths of Pak soldiers against terrorists to achieve? By all means give autonomy & development, but something practical needs to be done against these terrorists. I've never heard of any European or American country where cantonments or garrisons were vetoed within the country. The way these BLA are talking and their suspicious targetted strategy which smacks of outside guidance/assistance it seems they are not willing to settle for "reasonable" politics/settelement. I don't agree with an outright overwhelming military operation but something targetted definitely needs to be done soon.

Yahya,

I don't disagree with some of your statements but tell me this.

When you are part of a government and you are faced with an insurgency, shouldn't rule of law also be a factor in your methods to deal with the dissidents? As MohammedA says, the longer we allow this calculated destruction of state infrastructure in Balochistan, the more difficult it will be for us to attract any sort of investment ANYWHERE in Pakistan!

I support a muscular approach - carrots and sticks. Contact the sardars with carrots while root out anyone who destroys power lines, railway track etc. If you give up the danda, you lose your negotiating position and become a victim of blackmail.

I say hang those responsible for the incident with the Dr and then move on to hang those in the Jirga who want the Dr dead , then catch the tribal blowing up federal and provincial property . If the captain is really responsible for this heinous act and the army is sheltering him then i say this is the worst thing the gov has done till yet. The gov must learn to take responsibility for the acts of its employees and bring them to justice no matter what. One thing should be clear, those tribals who are claiming of blowing up stuff because of this incident are a bunch of liars. They have as little regard for a women's honor as those who committed this act .
Now all i am waiting is for the gov to start the op against these *******s and stop this ridiculous royalty system to the bugties and the others. enough is enough

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yahya

Syed Saad,
You are absolutley corect the Army should come out with a clear statement on the issue. The delay is leading to unnecessary speculations and not doing any good to the Army's image. I do not know if the Captain has any influential relatives, but one thing is for sure that the army will not cover up for the captain if he is guilty, influential relatives or no influential relatives. If you recollect the Army sentenced to death and hanged Captain Jamil in 1995/96. He was found guilty of causing death of innocent villagers during the Army operation in Sind in 1992.
I believe a full fledged inquiry on the Sui incident is on or has been completed and the cfficer concerned has volunteered to have a DNA test. However, where there is smoke there is fire and the issue has also been politicised to an extent and that is regretable.

---

Yahya, I qoute the tando bahawal case to people to make the exact same point that Army normally acts swiftly and decisively against her own when they are involved in crimes against civilians so I am well aware of the precedence already set. What I am a bit worried about is that the longer they wait, the more damage to the reputation of the entire Institution.

Although I am willing to wait it out a bit longer, there is vicious propaganda being unleashed against the Army by many quarters....unfortunate yes, but I think PM and team themselves are responsible for it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MohammedA

That is fair enough - and what measures do you suggest Punjab should take?
But for how long will Pakistan govt tolerate destruction of valuable infrastructure in Balouchistan and elsewhere, and more importantly slowly re-emerging business-friendly/non-pariah image that has taken literally years of hard-work and I would even say deaths of Pak soldiers against terrorists to achieve? By all means give autonomy & development, but something practical needs to be done against these terrorists. I've never heard of any European or American country where cantonments or garrisons were vetoed within the country. The way these BLA are talking and their suspicious targetted strategy which smacks of outside guidance/assistance it seems they are not willing to settle for "reasonable" politics/settelement. I don't agree with an outright overwhelming military operation but something targetted definitely needs to be done soon.

---

Mohammad A,
It is not the question of Panjab doing something for Balochis or Sindhis. It is the Govt which should take (and it is taking) steps to remove the sense of deprivation in Balochis. We are a country that has systems (and many of them do work). The Govt needs to ensure that the system must reach the common man and not the Sardar. If the Govt that is Panjabi dominated is seen doing something, well it means exactly that. The constitutional package developed by the Committe on Balochistan may perhaps serve that purpose. In One Unit, there was no Panjab or NWFP, but the Panjabis got the major share of the blame when East Pakistan broke away.
Yes, the national assets need to be guarded and the criminals or so called 'BLA' be pursued and eliminated. But if we can do that without making it look like a military targetting of Balochis and with minimal force it would be better. Let me tell you that what many people on this forum think that the Army will descend on Balochistan and sort things out, well it does not happen that way. It is not physically possible to guard every kilometer of railway track or every electric or telephone pole. The Army, perhaps realises that too. Fighting insurgencies is the most difficult task for the military. The Americans have found that out in Iraq. For the present we need to be patient, give the political option a chance, go after criminals and 'BLA', make the Sardars look warmongrers rather than the Govt by continously engaging them in political dialogue, avoid making them heroes, ensure protection of vital installations and initiate efforts to bring up a moderate Balochi leadership. Of course a crash development program is already underway. The Govt is taking all the steps that I have mentioned in one way or the other. A full fledged military operation shoul be the last resort.

Although I am willing to wait it out a bit longer, there is vicious propaganda being unleashed against the Army by many quarters....unfortunate yes, but I think PM and team themselves are responsible for it.

Syed Saad,
The Army may not want to come out prematurely and then backtrack. If you recollect it happened that way in Tando Bhawal case. But I agree that the delay is giving the Army a bad name.

When you are part of a government and you are faced with an insurgency, shouldn't rule of law also be a factor in your methods to deal with the dissidents? As MohammedA says, the longer we allow this calculated destruction of state infrastructure in Balochistan, the more difficult it will be for us to attract any sort of investment ANYWHERE in Pakistan! I support a muscular approach - carrots and sticks. Contact the sardars with carrots while root out anyone who destroys power lines, railway track etc. If you give up the danda, you lose your negotiating position and become a victim of blackmail.

Jameel,
Dealing with dissidents does not mean that you make it look like an operation against Balochis. Unfortunately that is what it has been made to look like by the irresponsible utternaces of some legislators and a section of Urdu media. The same have been exploited by the Balochi Sardars. Secondly no one is advocating giving up danda. There is no need to rush in with Danda waving. If the Danda is there, everyone knows it can be used. If its threat can help settle things, why not. By the way isn't the Govt doing exactly what you are advocating, carrot and stick?

Quote:

---

Let me tell you that what many people on this forum think that the Army will descend on Balochistan and sort things out, well it does not happen that way. It is not physically possible to guard every kilometer of railway track or every electric or telephone pole. The Army, perhaps realises that too. Fighting insurgencies is the most difficult task for the military. The Americans have found that out in Iraq.

---

This is exactly my point. Common-sense tells you that every inch of pipeline cannot be guarded. Hell, even areas of Punjab and Sindh have been bombed! That is why I have been saying that an overwhelming op will not achieve the desired result and would alienate many Balouch. But we haven't seen any evidence yet of intelligence-led targetting of BLA & their supporters/infrastructure. Plus, their foreign backers need to have pressure put on them by any means necessary. WRT sardars, I read that Bugti gets Rs 12bn per year royalties and spends alot of this on arms. If you read BBC website today, there is a very vicious racist article on the situation, calling the army "immoral Punjabis" and "dishonourable" while Balouch are noble and honour-bound - nothing mentioned about Bugti's son treatment of women, even a claim in there that he would like to go down in a blaze of glory at the age of 78.

.If you ask me, the center has not treated balochis that badly afterall. As it mentions in this article, the Sui plant has at least 51% Balochis working in it. I think there are some 16000 people working there in total. If this is the norm, then these sardars are completely insincere even to their own people.

http://www.dawn.com/2005/02/09/top2.htm

QUETTA, Feb 8: Veteran Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti has said that the Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) exist in Balochistan and were popular among the Baloch people who consider that these organizations are fighting for the legitimate rights of the Baloch nation.

Speaking to newsmen in his native Dera Bugti town on Tuesday, he said that activities of these organizations might have been limited in the past but now the Baloch people were reposing confidence in them and supporting their activists.

"The people of Jam Yousuf's Jamoot tribe might also be there in these organizations," Nawab Bugti said, adding that people of all Baloch tribes had started joining the BLA and the BLF.

He said that Sardar Jamal Khan Leghari, son of Sardar Farooq Khan Leghari, had also accepted the fact that the Baloch of his area had started joining these organizations.

Referring to the lady doctor assault case, the Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) chief said that the man involved in the case was brother of a District Coordination Officer of Punjab and was on good terms with a senior military officer.

These were the reasons, he said, for which he had not been arrested. The threat to launch a military operation against tribes in Sui and Dera Bugti, he added, were aimed at forcing them to change their stand on the issue.

Nawab Bugti said that the lady doctor could not be termed "kari" under any law because force had been used to assault her. The tribes, he added, considered her innocent. However, he said the person involved in the criminal assault was a 'Siahkar' and should get double punishment because he committed a heinous crime while his duty was to protect the people. Besides, he broke the law.

Nawab Bugti said that since the days of Ayub Khan the army had been ruling the country and no government in the country could be called a good government.

Replying to a question, the veteran leader said that the employment in the PPL Sui plant should have been 100 per cent local but it could reach only 51 per cent in the past 52 years, while in the officers' category it was even less.

He said that keeping in view the situation in Sui one could imagine what would happen to the local people in Gwadar.

By Amir Zia

KARACHI, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Pakistan has asked the United States to help stop the smuggling of weapons and drugs from Afghanistan into its troubled southwestern region, shaken in recent weeks by a spate of attacks by tribal militants.

Baluchistan provincial governor Owais Ahmed Ghani said the militants, involved in what he called the "recent sabotage and terrorist activities," were getting weapons from across the border in Afghanistan.

"Afghanistan still remains an unsettled place and its government does not have full control over the country," Ghani told reporters in southern city of Karachi on Wednesday.

Soviet-era weapons, including multi-barrel rocket launchers, and narcotics worth billion of rupees (millions of dollars) were being smuggled in from Afghanistan, he said.

"We have raised the issue with American officials, asking for their help to fight weapons and narcotics smuggling."

Tribal militants, demanding greater political and economic rights, have intensified attacks on government installations and infrastructure in recent weeks.

The worst attack came last month, when tribesmen attacked Pakistan's largest gas field, forcing its closure for more than a week.

Since then, militants have carried out almost daily attacks

targeting railway tracks and telecommunications lines.

A shadowy militant group, the Baluchistan Liberation Army, has claimed responsibility for most of the attacks.

Hundreds of rockets were fired at the Sui gas field in January, forcing Pakistan to deploy troops to help paramilitary forces guard the sensitive installations.

Ghani said it was difficult for Pakistan to guard its more than 2,400-km (1,500-mile) rugged border with Afghanistan.

"We are stretched thin because of our commitment in the war on terrorism," he said.

Pakistan is a close ally of the United States in the war on terrorism. Its security forces are hunting al Qaeda-linked militants in the mountainous region bordering Afghanistan as well as in the major cities.

Ghani said Baluchistan serves as a major route for the smuggling of drugs produced in Afghanistan.

The narcotics money also helps boost criminal and terrorist

activities here," he said.

Ghani blamed "external elements" for the trouble in his province but refused to name any country, saying that investigations were still in progress.

"There is no insurgency, guerrilla or independence war going in Baluchistan. It is just terrorism and sabotage carried out by a very small group, which is hurting the poor people," he said.

"But the government is showing restraint and not launching any military operation because it wants to resolve the issue through a political process."



02/09/05 08:54 ET

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MohammedA

This is exactly my point. Common-sense tells you that every inch of pipeline cannot be guarded. Hell, even areas of Punjab and Sindh have been bombed! That is why I have been saying that an overwhelming op will not achieve the desired result and would alienate many Balouch. But we haven't seen any evidence yet of intelligence-led targetting of BLA & their supporters/infrastructure. Plus, their foreign backers need to have pressure put on them by any means necessary. WRT sardars, I read that Bugti gets Rs 12bn per year royalties and spends alot of this on arms. If you read BBC website today, there is a very vicious racist article on the situation, calling the army "immoral Punjabis" and "dishonourable" while Balouch are noble and honour-bound - nothing mentioned about Bugti's son treatment of women, even a claim in there that he would like to go down in a blaze of glory at the age of 78.

---

Mohammad A,
you have to be patient. Intelligence gathering is a slow and labourious task. One has to be careful. People tend to settle local vendettas by misleading the Intelligence agencies. This is what happened in tando Bhawal in 1992. Secondly, Intelligence led operations are many times kept secret, so that those apprehended can be questioned without the whole network disappearing underground and re-emerging later when things settle down. As regards the arms that the Bugtis have, well Pakistan is flooded with all types of weaponry, thanks to the Afghan War,. The point is that everyone knows what the Sardars and Waderas do. We have tolerated it for 50 years, compromised on it and have left the local population at the mercy of Sardars. Now 50 years of following a compromising policy cannot be undone overnight. It has to be tackled in a manner that the Govt action does not alienate the local poulation that is largely a silent spectator. These people like all such people everywhere want a better future for their children, a better quality of life and an existence free from domination by Sardars or local thugs. In counter insurgency operations the battle is for the heart and minds of the local population. If we make the Govt action look anti Balochi rather than anti insurgents, then we have lost the battle. That is why I say again that fighting insurgencies is difficult, slow, with results seemingly not coming as all of us want and in the time frame that we want.
Lastly the media is an all powerful tool now. The insurgents use them and so should the Govt. We cannot stop material posted on different web sites like the BBC etc. What we need to do is to counter it. My experience says that people tend to believe anything against the Govt. The Govt has to very subtly neutralise it. At times a side may win on ground but lose the media war and vice versa. The Govt needs to take note of this and evolve a media strategy to counter negative publicity without it appearing as Govt propaganda. Believe me it is not difficult. But if we leave the media battle to our Information Minister, well we are not going to achieve much

Musharraf rules out army operation in Balochistan
MUMTAZ ALVI
ISLAMABAD (February 10 2005): President General Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday ruled out the possibility of a military operation in Balochistan, saying he wanted solution of the issue through dialogue. However, the president made it clear that he would not tolerate the 'policy of appeasement' or blackmailing by any quarters. Musharraf made this categorical statement during his over two-hour-long meeting with the ruling coalition senators here at the President House in the afternoon.

"We don't have any intention or programme to opt for a military action in the province... let the political process continue," sources quoted the President as telling the senators.

The President and the senators shared complete unanimity that Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain should continue his meetings with the nationalist leaders to pave way for easing of the situation, sources privy to the meeting told Business Recorder.

Chaudhry Shujaat apprised the meeting of his interactions with the Baloch leaders in Karachi last month and said the nationalists wanted amicable end to the present situation coupled with greater provincial autonomy.

The meeting reviewed the Balochistan situation threadbare and strongly advocated for an amicable end to the issue, keeping in view the long-standing grievances of the largest but the most-backward province.

The senators, particularly those from Balochistan, including Sarwar Kakar and Mohim Khan Baloch called for 'measures' to defuse the 'prevailing tension' in Dera Bugti and Sui areas, sources maintained.

The President reiterated his government's commitment for ensuring security of the important installations at all cost.

He added that cantonments were vital to security and safety of the country's institutions and installations, sources said.

Musharraf agreed with the senators that the Parliamentary Committee on Balochistan, headed by PML President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain would be given a 'fair chance' to furnish its recommendations, which would be seriously looked into by the government.

Sources said that the President assured the meeting that genuine concerns of Balochistan would be duly addressed, including its share in the National Finance Commission Award and the review of the Concurrent List.

During the three-day debate in the Senate on Balochistan, the senators from both sides of the aisle had called for the grant of provincial autonomy to the federating units as envisaged in the 1973 Constitution.

However, some of the opposition senators even said that the Centre should retain only defence, foreign affairs and currency while rest of the subjects be given to the provinces.

PML Information Secretary Tariq Azeem, when contacted, said that the meeting was part of the President's ongoing consultations with the politicians and parliamentarians.

He said that Musharraf looked confident that the issue would be resolved through political means and the government would deliver on the issue of inter-provincial harmony.

"The senators openly spoke their mind on the issue and agreed that there must be no compromise on the national assets," the senator maintained. Ruling coalition Senator, Mohim Khan Baloch said that the meeting was of the view that the Parliamentary Committee, which enjoyed confidence of the Parliament, must be allowed to accomplish its task.


Copyright Business Recorder, 2005

Beyond the mountains

By Nadeem Saeed

In the simmering condition of Balochistan, the spotlight has been on the Bugtis and Mengals. Nadeem Saeed looks at the Marri factor in the area's troubled history.

Balochistan has been in the news for the past few months. The government says the Baloch sardars and nationalists are creating trouble because they oppose development in their areas. The nationalists allege that the military is using development to extend its presence in Balochistan, and that the Baloch remain excluded from both the development and political process.

But there are also some Baloch who maintain that the sardars are essentially opposed to people's empowerment. Intellectual, Allah Bakhsh Bozdar, says the tribal chiefs forget the rights of Baloch people when they are in power, and remember the people only when they are left high and dry by the power brokers.

"Akhtar Mengal now laments the plight of the people of the Chaghi mountains where the nuclear tests were carried out, not when he had been chief minister," Bozdar remarked, adding "but now the people have started seeing through the game."

If one wants to see the intricacies of the tribal system, one must visitKohlu district where the Marri chief and his subjects are literally pitched against each other on the issue of development, although some other factors are also adding to the tension.

Rocket attacks on state facilities, gas and electricity installations and landmine blasts at road construction sites and coal mines are a recurrant phenomenon.

Although many such attacks remain unclaimed, a group called the Baloch People's Liberation Front (BPLF) has taken responsibility for some of the incidents. Besides Frontier Constabulary posts, roads, electricity poles and small dams have also been the target of BPLF assaults.

Whatever infrastructure has been built so far in the area has not come into being without taking its toll in the form of human lives. Locals recall that in 1987 when electricity poles were being put up to supply power to Kohlu town, some miscreants had fired rockets on the Wapda team. The attack claimed the lives of six people and work had to be suspended until the then Kohlu deputy commissioner himself led the Wapda teams to complete the task.

Tambu is an agriculture-rich area in the district and has farms and orchards which produce almonds, apples, wheat and cotton. Recently, the government initiated a project to link Tambu with Kohlu town by road. However, the project had to be abandoned when frequent landmine blasts had the construction workersrefusing to work.

"Similarly, the construction of the Kohlu-Mawand-Sibi road had to be suspended after a number of attacks and landmine blasts took place alongside the track," said an official in Mawand. A vast majority of the Marri tribesmen are forced to live a primitive life in a society not inclined to open its doors to the outside world. They live in huts made of mats, bushes and stone in the highlands along the hill tracts. Most of the Marri areas are devoid of the basic amenities of life.

Scenes of men and animals drinking water from the same pond are a feature of the area. Consequently, the incidence of waterborne diseases is high. Coverage of immunization programmes against infectious diseases is negligible due to the absence of roads.

In case of a medical emergency, people have to take the patient to Dera Ghazi Khan or Multan, after traversing through winding mountain passes. It is not that Kohlu lacks a hospital.There is a 35-bed civil hospital, but it does not have facilities and staff. The medical superintendent of the hospital, Dr Sahib Khan Marri, says out of 10 sanctioned posts of medical officers, six are vacant. Similarly, eight posts of specialist doctors and five of lady medical officers also remain unfilled. Professionals are not inclined to work because of the volatile law and order situation in the area.

Dr Marri said as there was no lady doctor at the hospital, two experienced midwives looked after maternity cases. Laboratory technicians carry out all types of diagnostic tests in the absence of a qualified pathologist.

There are separate high schools for boys and girls in Kohlu town but they, too, are understaffed. The town has a boys' college, but none for girls.

A grammar school is also functioning in the town under state patronage. However, its principal complains about the fragile law and order situation that has prompted many qualified teachers to leave. "We have advertised for teachers several times but qualified people from Punjab did not show any interest to join the school owing to the frequent incidents of rocket attacks and landmine blasts," she said.

People in Kohlu recount innumerable anecdotes about Nawab Marri and his views on development. "The rulers will plunder the wealth of the area once we allow roads to be constructed," says Rab Nawaz Gazni, a small landlord, quoting Nawab Marri's viewpoint.

To justify the argument, Gazni said that the government had been taking away gas from the Bugti area, Sui, for decades but in return the local population got very little. "We do not want to meet the same fate by allowing the government to drill the oil and gas reserves of our area," he added.

The Marri tribe comprises three main clans - Gazni, Bijrani and Lohrani. The tribe's chief, Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri, belongs to the Gazni clan. Nawab is a title given to the Marri chiefs by the Britishfor services rendered in the past. Other tribes of the area enjoying similar privileges are the Bugti, Mazari and Leghari.

The headquarters of the Marri chief is in the Kahan area of Kohlu district, the Bijranis mainly reside in Kohlu, Mawand and adjoining areas while the Lohranis inhabit the Nisau valley. Kahan is the most backward area where there is neither any working school nor health facility. In recent times it has become a no-go area, particularly since the chiefs have disallowed vehicular traffic on the Kohlu-Sibi road beyond Mawand.

Kahan is the area where a few months ago a group of Quetta journalists were shown training camps of militants who had reportedly taken up arms just as other groups had done during the Marri uprising of the 1970s. The nawab and his men were forced to take asylum in Afghanistan. During that period the Marris had taken up positions in the mountains to launch an armed struggle to protest against the dissolution of the National Awami Party government in Balochistan. Sher Muhammad Bijrani and Mir Hazar Khan Bijrani were the commanders. It was a time when socialism was popular and leftist elements had some influence over the Baloch armed struggle. Nawab Marri was also a socialist.

Unfavourable circumstances after the break up of the Soviet Union and the increasing influence of Mujahideen forces in Afghanistan compelled the Marri tribesmen to return, especially after some bloody encounters with Islamists in the Hilmand area of Kandhar.

It is said that differences had been cropped up between Nawab Marri and his Bijrani commanders while they were in Afghanistan, but they formally denounced the chief on reaching native land reportedly in a jirga (council of elders). Thus, the inter and intra-tribal rivalries further complicated the situation.

The time was ripe for the powers that be to make inroads in the Marri tribe to accomplish their agenda. During the time of Lt-Gen Qadir Baloch as the provincial governor, around 1,000 Bijrani clansmen were recruited in the levies on Mir Hazar Khan Bijrani's demand. They are positioned just in front of the Jandaran mountain range where militiamen loyal to Nawab Khair Bux Marri are stationed.

The situation in the area is similar to that of a border area between two hostile countries. Exchange of heavy gunfire is almost routine. A common old friend of Nawab Marri and Mir Hazar intervened and defused tensions when hostilities were at their peak. But observers say miscalculation can occur any time as both sides are heavily armed.

Recently, National Security Council secretary-general Tariq Aziz held a meeting at Dera Bugti with Nawab Akbar Bugti in the backdrop of increasing attacks on military and paramilitary personnel in various parts of the province in the name of opposition to the plan for setting up garrisons at Kohlu, Dera Bugti and Gawadar.

Sources said that one of the demands the Bugti chief presented to the state emissary was to terminate the services of 1,000 Bijranis recruited in the levies on behalf of Mir Hazar.

Mir Hazar is now banking on official patronage to further erode the Nawab's once unequivocal authority in the area. Top military officials posted in Balochistan maintain a close liaison with him to pave the way for the establishment of a garrison in Kohlu.

Talking to TR at his headquarters in Thadarri, Mir Hazar defended his joining hands with the forces he had once fought against, saying "Peace is a must for development and for this purpose we are aligned with the government."

Mir Hazar believes the tribal system in Balochistan has now started weakening and just needs a sincere effort to be buried. "What has it given to the people in return for their loyalty to the chief?" he asked, and then added: "Misery, hunger, thirst, disease, illiteracy and general ignorance."

However, he was sceptical of the government's sincerety in trying to end the tribal system, saying the Bugti tribe episode was not a distant example. Sentiments are boiling up in the Kalpar and Masoori clans and a section of the Raijas against the tribal sardars were first exploited to challenge the authority of the Bugti chief. When he declared an all-out war, the federal forces were seen facilitating displacement of his opposing tribesmen in Sindh and Punjab.

"Sometimes it seems that the government wants to let the tribal people kill each other and after that it will come to rule the roost," Mir Hazar remarked. "The government has to play its role positively if it wants to win over the people's backing against the tribal lords."

Mir Hazar said that he had extended his support to the government oncondition that infrastructure including roads, schools and health facilities should be constructed through special grants before drilling for mineral resources is undertaken in the area.

Five to six per cent royalty of the mineral resources taken out of Kohlu should be spent on the area's development. Marri tribesmen who have migrated to other areas should be resettled in their native land and a force of 2,000 levy personnel should be selected from among the Marri tribesmen, Hazar says.

He said so far the government had sanctioned 1,000 posts of levies while all the remaining matters remained undecided.

About his differences with the Nawab, he said that these had cropped up while they were in Afghanistan. "It dawned on us that he had just sported Lenin's badge on his shirt but remained a tribal chief at heart."

Mir Hazar said the people who point a finger at him for taking sides with the government should first come to the area to know the ground realities and then decide whether his action was justified or not. "Only the government can build the infrastructure, undertake development and explore the mineral resources of our area."

http://www.dawn.com/weekly/review/review1.htm

No war of liberation in Balochistan: Ghani
By Tahir Hasan Khan

KARACHI: Balochistan Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani said on Wednesday there was no insurgency or war of liberation in Balochistan and only few criminal elements were involved in sabotage activities there.

The governor told a group of senior newsmen at the Balochistan House here that there was no need for a Wana-like military action in the province. He said the federal and provincial governments believed in peaceful dialogue to resolve the problems and declared that the process would continue and terrorist activities could not sabotage it.

The governor claimed that costly machineguns and Russian-made rockets were being used for sabotage activities in the province and terrorists fired more then 1,700 rockets during the last 18 months. He also claimed that costly weapons were being supplied from Afghanistan to the terrorists and foreign elements were funding them to sabotage the dialogue process and to disturb the mega development projects initiated in Balochistan.

However, he said the process of dialogue would continue as serious politicians and nationalist leaders also agreed that talks should continue in the larger national interest. He also claimed that direct and indirect talks were also going on with Sardar Ataullah Mengal, Nawab Akbar Bugti and other nationalist leaders and they were being taken into confidence in resolving the problems of the province.

Ghani said the saboteurs attacked military and Frontier Constabulary (FC) convoys and killed Army soldiers. They attacked railway tracks; police stations, electricity facilities, telephone network and Sui installations and bombs were exploded in Quetta and other cities. "Despite these sabotage activities no military operation was launched in any part of Balochistan," he added.

He said preparations were complete to take action against the terrorist elements involved in sabotage activities with the support of the anti-Pakistan elements. "The government is watching the activities of the terrorist elements and action would be taken against them."

He said the Army and the FC contingents were deployed only for the security of the sensitive installations and for the construction of the cantonments in the province. Dispelling the impression that talks were being held at gunpoint, the governor said dialogue was being held in the larger national interest and to resolve the problems of the people of Balochistan to remove their sense of deprivation.

When asked which country was involved in sabotage activities and destabilising Balochistan, Ghani said in fact the enemy countries were disturbed with the emerging image of Pakistan and its strategic situation and trying to destabilise it.

The governor said Pakistan had nuclear capability, huge natural resources, land, well-equipped and well-trained Army and its economy was improving day by day and enemies were not happy with this progress of Pakistan.

When asked whether the government lodged protest with Afghanistan for supplying weapons to terrorist elements in Balochistan, the governor said some areas in Afghanistan were still in the control of those elements, who were involved in drug business. But, he said the government of Afghanistan has been informed about the situation and they were taking steps. While quoting an American report, the governor said the production of opium rose from 5,500 to 8,500 tonnes in Afghanistan last year and there were factories for producing drugs.

When asked as to why not the provincial government requested for a Wana-like military operation in Balochistan, he said the Wana situation was different from the situation of Balochistan and was of the view that there was no need for such a military action. He said foreign nationals and terrorists were hiding in Wana but in Balochistan only few criminals were playing in the hands of the foreign enemy.

Dispelling the impression that the attack on Sui installations were the reaction of the people against the Dr Shazia rape case, the governor said as to how the poor masses could react with modern weapons and barrages of rockets while they have no meal for their children.

He said judicial inquiry was going on and action would be taken against the responsible whether they were influential or in uniform. The governor said terrorist elements had set up 20 to 25 training camps in Balochistan.


http://jang.com.pk/thenews/feb2005-d...main/main5.htm