Balochistan’s Global Controversy and National Neglect

Muhammad Ajeeb 

Bradford: The recent resignation by Akhtar Mangal, the leader of the Balochistan National Party (BNP) from parliament, has caused serious ripples in the already turbulent and murky political waters of Pakistan politics.

Once again the country’s ruling elites were reminded of the chronic but worsening  serious situation in the province of Balochistan.  This was evidenced by the daylight act of terrorism when workers/travellers who were identified as Punjabis were shot dead by unknown terrorists on 3rd September 2024.

Some reports allege that this brutal attack on the lives of innocent people from the province of Punjab was carried out by the members of Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) which prompted Akhtar Mangal to resign from his membership of the Parliament. 

Mangal is a veteran politician from Balochistan who is respected both by his friends and foes. He has publicly warned that Pakistan is at the precipice of losing Balochistan because of the longstanding policy of neglect and inaction to halt the growth of frustration and disenchantment with the ruling elites in Islamabad.

This is a serious charge against the successive governments and warning coming from a seasoned and amicable politician.     

Myself in a detailed article written in 2013, highlighted factors contributing to the underlying grievances which were the main cause of   antagonism  against the state and the remedies required to ease the situation in Balochistan . I reproduce a section that article for the interest and knowledge of the readers:  

“The province of Balochistan is sitting on a time bomb. Balochistan has been neglected publically, economically  and socially since the partition of the sub-continent. Sadly, Pakistan has treated this province as its colony. 

However, with the advancement of technology and communications and also global political changes, Baluchis are becoming more and more aware of their rights and the support they can muster from abroad to seek relief for their grievances. 

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Therefore, they must be listened to now and be mainstreamed and not marginalised before it is too late. The difficult issue of missing persons has got to be resolved with sensitivity and sensibility. Baluchis’ quality of life must be improved and human rights restored otherwise dire consequences will have to be borne by those people living in their cosy mansions in Islamabad and the generals in their comfortable barracks. 

The pressing and urgent need, hence, is to remove the huge disparities amongst the poor Baluchis who have suffered for too long  time in the hands of their Sardars and feudal and inconsiderate Pakistani governments and their bureaucrats. All practical help and assistance must be provided to restore law and order in the province and also to emancipate the people from the clutches of tyranny of their local masters”.  

But unfortunately, nothing significant has changed in the past decade like many in the past. Now a small minority of young Baluchis of third generation equipped with little more education and with better skills for using social media  are managing to create  political awareness  which they are using as an  effective tool  for increasing use of agitation often with violence and terrorism to  achieve their political goal.

In these violent campaigns they are financed and used by the ‘secret agencies of both America and India’. However,  the history of use of  violence by Baluchi nationalists is chronic and persistent which has been and is still influenced and supported by the external and internal actors because of its politically strategic importance and huge deposits of unexplored mineral resources. 

Even during the long era of cold war, the competing  powers had  to take often risky steps to gain unimpeded access to the hot waters of the Indian ocean and the hidden wealth of Balochistan. In view of the present international political scenario, the strategic significance of Balochistan seems to have become more worthy and endearing. 

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The seemingly defeatist decision by America to desert Afghanistan and  to leave  Taliban as the sole political force to govern the country,was according to some political analysts, a deliberate ploy to deceive her competing powers, for her reinsertion to the region by pursuing a less visible and critical policy.

This policy of America seems to have entailed the political shrewdness for its latent ulterior designs to halt and dampen China’s encroachment to cross Himalaya and gain easy access to  western Asia, Middle East and the hot waters of the Indian ocean through the development of Gwadar Seaport.  

To achieve this objective American administration has been busily engaged in  persuading and pressuring  Pakistani government and military leadership to combat the illegal  attacks launched frequently by the TLP operating from within Afghanistan on the borders both with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, with all the means at their disposal. 

The American policy of aiding and abetting the TLP in Afghanistan and the BLA, in cooperation with India, is designed to keep Pakistan occupied with its western borders and away from its eastern borders and Kashmir to provide a cushion to India to continue its development  freely.

In view of both external and internal factors which are adding more fuel to the already turbulent and uncontrolled situation in Balochistan, sheer use of force can’t  produce a long lasting peace to this multifaceted and complex issue. But Islamabad and Rawalpindi’s reliance on the very architects of the  conflict in Balochistan, is beyond comprehension.  

A recent meeting of Foreign Minister of Pakistan Ishaq Dar with American Ambassador Donald Bloom is testimony to what Americans’ aims are to consolidate their presence in the region by offering practical help to defeat terrorism in the country.   

According to the Dawn News Paper.  

“Pakistan has sought United States’ help in dealing with economic and security challenges. The requests were conveyed during a meeting between Donald Bloom and Dar in the day on Tuesday. The meeting took place after 70 people lost their lives in Balochistan in separate terrorist attacks last month, including the Musakhail incident where the armed men offloaded passengers from trucks and buses and shot at them after checking their identities.”  

Although, it was not clear what kind of security help was requested from America but it is evident that the request was being made to somebody who is an accomplice in the terrorist attacks on civilians in the province.  

The subservience of politicians and the establishment to the American administration is understandable  because of the prevalence of malignant economic situation in the country. However , when the national interests are at stake it is not acceptable that the ruling elites  should meekly submit to the whims of the powerful nation by keeping their people in the dark. 

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On the contrary, the genuine and long lasting solution to Balochistan’s multiple causes for disenchantment and discontentment with the government and external interventions in its internal affairs must be the top priority of the government to study deeply and sincerely before deciding full-fledged use of force.  

Firstly, the provision of education and basic infrastructure must be improved to bring Balochistan in par with the rest of the provinces.  

Secondly, the economic and social disparities and the unchecked misuse and abuse of unassailable power by the Sardars,  Nawabs, Feudal and Bureaucrats must be curtailed and the process of accountability be strengthened.  

Thirdly, the income generated and profit accrued from indigenous resources, including the deposits of natural minerals and other resources, should be spent to improve the quality of life of the people of the province.   

Fourthly, more employment opportunities needed to be created and priority should be accorded to locals for training and recruitment. 

Fifthly, the disfranchised segment in the province must be encouraged to participate actively in civic and political life to realise their worth. The reforms in the electoral system of both for local and national governments have to be carried out, as a matter of priority, to encourage young men and women to  play their role actively in running and managing, particularly of  their local affairs in the rural areas of the province.   

It will be absurd  and unwise for the government to pursue a policy of use of military force alone to combat growing terrorist attacks it can lose the ground to those who are ready to embrace the disaffected and disillusioned segment of the population and  who can be easy  prey to the external and internal actors engaged in subversive activities. 

The policy of offering  both carrot and stick and meaningful engagement with credible and attractive social, political and sustainable reforms can go a long way to bring back peace in Balochistan. However, the much contested and envied land of Balochistan by the external players, who are only interested in its hidden wealth and Gwadar but NOT in its people must be kept at bay at any cost. 

But if the rulers in Islamabad  fail to carry out  necessary reforms to arrest further rapidly deteriorating situation in this neglected and deprived province then the prophecy of Akhtar Mangal may come true sooner than expected.

The author is former Lord Mayor of Bradford UK.

The article is the writer’s opinion, it may or may not adhere to the organization’s editorial policy.