Center for International Policy

As reported in The Nation (Pakistan)

February 3, 2006 Friday

EDITORIAL: A distant view

DR Frederic Grare, a French diplomat and visiting scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, in a recent report has described the human rights situation in Balochistan as very grave and rejected the official claim that India is arming and financing the insurgents. Another scholar, Dr Selig Harrison of the Centre for International Policy, has gone to the extent of saying that Balochistan is in need of desperate help from the international community. It should be disturbing for the government to notice that the world is not ready to lend credence to its claim that the military operation, which began in Kohlu in mid December after a string of rocket attacks, including one during General Musharraf's visit there, is exclusively aimed at targeting terrorists. Instead it relies more on the HRCP findings that action by the armed forces had led to deaths and injuries among civilians who were being subjected to indiscriminate bombings. Dr Grare's report "Pakistan: a resurgence of Baloch nationalism" did not rule out the possibility of civil war in the troubled province which remains in the grip of violence for more than a month.

Even though rocket attacks on Frontier Corps bases and checkpoints were reported from Kohlu, Loti and other areas, Dera Bugti continues to be the centre of unrest. At least six persons were injured Friday, the third day of a gun-battle between the troops and Bugti tribesmen. As officials accuse Bugti tribesmen of igniting trouble by gutting buildings and shops in the areas, they also confirmed that the FC had launched fresh attacks on the tribesmen's position at 11 am on Thursday. There is of course no justification for attacking security forces, but the state's policy of using force to resolve essentially political matters is exacerbating the Balochistan crisis. The federal government cannot escape the blame for allowing the Balochistan situation to deteriorate by constantly dragging its feet on the earlier plan of engaging the nationalists in a dialogue. Those in authority remained reluctant to implement the agreement between Nawab Akbar Bugti and the Parliamentary Committee on Balochistan. PML President Ch Shujaat Hussain, who also heads this body, was on record as saying that certain elements were creating roadblocks in the committee's working. Against this backdrop not only the Baloch Sardars but also the ordinary people of Balochistan have started doubting government's sincerity in bringing about an improvement in the law and order situation of their province.

The Grare report should be an eye-opener for the government that the quasi-insurgency in Balochistan cannot be overcome by merely announcing development plans, but by immediately stopping the ongoing military operations. It should not only reactivate the parliamentary committee but also allow Parliament to debate the situation.