The situation in Balochistan is throwing up lies and half-truths. While partisans can’t be trusted with truth, what about some so-called libs whose favourite pastime is to find fault with the state without offering viable policy solutions?
Let me put it up front: Balochistan needs to be healed — within Pakistan’s federal framework. Those who want freedom by resorting to violence and through the support of hostile elements have no place in any negotiating process unless they lay down arms. Let us also flag the point that the issue is about Balochistan’s grievances, not just Baloch grievances. Lest anyone forget, Balochistan houses other ethnic groups too.
There is deep irony in the fact that the Baloch sub-nationalists who don’t tire of talking about their rights have shied from fighting the internal battle for more egalitarian social structures which could have freed them from the debilitating influence of the sardari system. It is that system, also exploited by successive governments, which has kept Baloch areas undeveloped.
Look at the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), led by Hyrbiar Marri, son of Khair Bakhsh Marri. Educated, like most scions of the sardars (while the common Baloch remains pathetically uneducated), he is based in London. It was his group that took responsibility, among other terrorist acts, for killing the innocent Punjabi labourers.
Next is the Balochistan Republican Army (BRA). Not a nice bra this one. It is led by Brahmdagh Bugti, grandson of Akbar Bugti, whose district Dera Bugti, according to the Human Development Index, is the worst in Pakistan, even though the late Akbar Bugti served at various times as the interior minister of Pakistan and chief minister and governor of Balochistan. While BRA fights for the liberation of Balochistan, presumably on the basis of Baloch rights, Dera Bugti lives in the 12th century. The Bugti patriarch was not prepared to grant equal rights even to other Bugtis.
Then we have the Baloch Liberation United Front. This group killed four Punjabi businessmen and kidnapped John Solecki.
The fourth is the Balochistan Liberation Front of Dr Allah Nazar Baloch, the only group which comprises middle-class professionals. It also draws its cadres from the Balochistan Student Organisation (Azad) and mainly operates in the Makran belt and central Balochistan.
The fifth is Lashkar-e Balochistan, which is the militant face of Akhtar Mengal’s Balochistan National Party (M) and operates in the Khuzdar area. The slain Habib Jalib Baloch was the secretary general of BNP (M).
The sixth group, Baloch Musalla Dafa Tanzeem, is led by Ataur Rehman Mengal, son of former state minister Naseer Mengal, and also operates in Khuzdar. In the murky waters of Balochistan, this is likely the establishment’s response to Baloch militancy. Most of these groups draw people along tribal lines; there’s no united leadership and they continue to fight among themselves.
Balochistan in general and the Baloch in particular need to get their rights. But negotiations must be within the federal framework. Equally, the Baloch must realise the irony of fighting for their rights while living in a stultifying tribal system. Many want their children to be educated. There are cases of fighters secretly sending their boys to enroll in the army-funded education programme. They must not be disappointed.
So backward is the ordinary Baloch that the Baloch demand recruitment quota even in private organisations. A Pashtun from Pishin cannot get into the Bolan Medical College despite high marks while a Baloch with very low marks can secure a seat because of the quota system. This needs to change.
Finally, for those who think the Hazara community is living in great peace in Quetta or that the Punjabis are not leaving: visit Quetta and meet both communities. Since 2002, the Hazara community has suffered more than 1,200 casualties in various sectarian attacks and target killings. And try telling the Punjabis their numbers are swelling rather than depleting. You better be a good runner!
Published in The Express Tribune November 6th, 2010.
Let me put it up front: Balochistan needs to be healed — within Pakistan’s federal framework.
If the above is true, then whats wrong in the stance of India when it says grievances of Kashmir should be treated within the Constitution of India.
Oh come on dont bring the word – ‘disputed’. It is just there for 63 years. Balochistan is same as Kashmir, Some of the indigenous people are not happy and formenting trouble…
@Ejaz u cant suggest solution based on ur conevnience… what happened to peoples aspiration here… can we demand a plebiscite among Balochs??
Baloch want to live according to their own culture and traditions. Social change cant be imposed from outside, especially in a tribal system. There are countless examples in history where poeple faught and died for their traditional elite; Baloch are not inspired by Voltaire or Rosseau. And the military operations carried out by the central governments werent meant to liberate the common man. Bugti was certainly never fired artillery shells on the streets of Dera Bugti. Do you think you can simply kill the Sardar who heads a 400,000 strong tribe and get away with it?
Do you have some more truths to share?
The other ethnic groups in Balochistan niether share these resources and not part of stratagic Baloch land. They are getting major share inspite of their low population and small area.
Though I by no means am defending the sardari system, but it is extremely hypocritical on our (read: urban upper and upper middle classes) part to assert that while Baloch and Balochistan should get their grievances redressed, it MUST be within Pakistan’s federal framework. This only shows how much entrenched our class (mainstream media being its frontline ambassador) is in the Pakistani state setup and how only because it is in a position to accrue monetary as well as social (in terms of their privileged positions in society) benefits from such a setup, they have blinded themselves to a systematic economic and social genocide of the Baloch and their region by the Punjab-dominated millitary and civil bureacracy.
Why are we afraid of the Baloch calling for secession from the Federation. Who are we to decide that it must be within this or that framework. So much for the right of self determination that we champion in the Kashmiri’s case!
Shouldn’t we be calling for an independent and transparent referendum in the region that could then be used to decide on the question of secession.
I agree Sardari system is a social ill, but so is the whatever system is in place in rural Punjab, Sindh and KP as long as it’s only guaranteeing that wealth remains concentrated in a few hands while the majority of the population keeps on tilling the politicians, generals and bureaucrats’ lands for meager earnings.
As much as I’m offended with the sardars for preventing their Baloch ‘subjects’ from getting education, gaining political or economic powers, I AM DISTURBED TO SEE PEOPLE TILLING THE LAND OWNED BY ARMY GENERALS IN OKARA KHANEWAL AND SO MANY OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTRY…
If things ought to be settled within the framework of the federation, the federation needs to first become representative of all the people that fall under its borders, representing them means not only accommodating their sardars, jagirdars, waderas or gaddi nashins in the palaces of Islamabad but that the people are provided with rights over their resources, opportunities to shape their lives according to their wills and security from the wrath of state-owned spy agencies.
in 1947, rather than revamping oppressive rural relations of exploitation, we decided to rally around a piece of cloth and the abstract notion of spiritual salvation through the drawing of an extremely arbitrary line. I don’t see how the Baloch case, broadly speaking, is any different to partition. Nationalism anywhere in the world remains a vertically aligned and regressive phenomenon. Instead of pointing fingers at Baloch nationalism, we could do well to review our own record of eradicating exploitation since Independence.
“A Pashtun from Pishin cannot get into the Bolan Medical College despite high marks while a Baloch with very low marks can secure a seat because of the quota system. This needs to change.”
Quota system! Sounds familiar, let me remember, Oh yes, Sindh. Late ZAB introduced this back in Sindh back in 1973 and it continues to be extended by every other regime.
Once more we see Haider prattling on about “the debilitating influence of the sardari system”. This seriously raises the question how up-to-date he is with the Balochistan of 2010 (as opposed to what it was a few decades ago). I wonder if he has even visited the place in recent times (as most Pakistani armchair ‘intellectuals’ have common propensity for pontificating from afar) or even bothered to sit with one or two ordinary Baloch and exchanged views.
Obviously if Ejaz Haider had been around in 1970 he would have uttering similar vacuous views on the Bengalis of what was then East Pakistan.
Since 1948 (yes, not 1947) when Balochistan was forcefully amalgamated into Pakistan its natives have been treated like second class citizens to be exploited by the elite.It is not surprisng that there have been several armed rebellions against the Establishment over the decades. Rather than try and negotiate a peaceful solution the Establishment has always used the power of the gun to subjugate the Baloch.
All Ejaz Haider appears to be doing is following the mealymouthed pro-Establishment script of the so-called ‘Ideology of Pakistan’ (invented in Lahore and propounded by the likes of Majeed Nizami). This a philosophy that deems the real estate of Pakistan to be sacred and relegates the people residing within this geographic piece of property to be of secondary importance.
While Ejaz Haider loves to indulge us with his knowledge of classical quotations from Thucydides and a list other long dead (and perhaps useless) Greeks and Romans, he should instead remember a widely known quote from Abraham Lincoln. What Balochistan simply needs right now is a ‘government of the people, by the people, for the people’ – and not missile, bullets, assassinations and kidnappings from the parallel government set up by the Establishment.
And yet once again it fails to register with Ejaz Haider that the first step to find a solution to Balochistan quagmire is to withdraw the Establishment’s ‘agencies’ from the province. Only then will an atmosphere may be created where political negotiations can commence. If that doesn’t happen then Ejaz Haider can keep up writing his views for the next few decades articulating the viewpoint from Lahore’s ‘patriotic’ perspective – all too uselessly..
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I take offence with the know-it-all tone of this article. There are currently 100,000 to 250,000 internal refugees in Balochistan since the conflict was begun by General Musharraf. The role of the intelligence services has been regressive, spawning more enemies rather than neutralising them. Dr Allah Nazar Baloch’s BLF is an example; a man who was disappeared in 2005 is now a radical. According to reports, if one non-Baloch is killed, the next day a Baloch dies. This is the swiftness with which the security forces react in Balochistan. Then there is the presence of Afghan and Pakistani religious radicals, which was only acknowledged in an oblique way; by bringing up the Hazara community who are their target. Maybe the Pakistani forces could stop targetting Baloch activists and withdraw protection from religious extremists in Balochistan. That might slow down the multiple cycles of violence.
If you think that punjabis are brave than why they sold their houses & property to Pushtoon. Second Hazara are just sale their property and leave it for others.
We are still here, Now approximately different Baloch and Pasthoon now are believing this that we are part of Balochistan. Behind target killing of Hazara, a band organization by the name of “Lashkar-e-Jangu”. Till to know apart from one incident, Different Baloch organization which is killing Punjabis in particular had never killed any Hazara.
@ Sabir H
Sir, Lashkar-e-Jangu or Lashkar-e-Jhangvi?
I think the author raised some interesting points. First the Hazaras. Hazaras are a sectarian minority, who are, surprisingly and unfortunately, killed with impunity by the so-called Baloch. What is their fault? If you are not happy with the Shia rule in Sistan-Balochistan in Iran, does that give you a license to terrorize and kill people in your own province?
There is a bit of an irony too because the people who are killing Hazara Shias are also the ones who like to present themselves as “secular.” Yes, if they are so secular why don’t we see a Benazir rising from the beautiful land of Balochistan, why are the women still cloaked, why are women buried alive in Balochistan and members of the parliament have defended it as part of their “tradition”?
Are not these women Baloch? And are not the poor uneducated helpless people, beholden to the whims of sardars in the strongholds, the so-called deras, also Baloch too? If not, at least are they human?
If so, they too should have the rights– the right to education, the right to acquire wealth, the right to live– that the sardars and their off-spring (at least the sons) feel entitled to. I hope sanity prevails soon.
“Lest anyone forget, Balochistan houses other ethnic groups too.” Why no ethnic groups in Punjab are also mentioned Mr Hyder when it comes to matter of redefining social contract as being raised?
Well its a fact that anti state or separatist elements have been their in Balochistan since Balochistan’s accession to pakistan by Khan of kalat but they have never been so powerfull or active since they have been neutralised by an equally large number of nationalist Baloch sardars who have been a part of the Government since 1947…Nawab Akbar bugti being a prominent one. We have already lost Bengal cuz of the injustice and lack of accountability in our system…And a common factor which played a prominent part on both occassion is our magalomaniac Army! Hamood ur rehman commission report clearly exposed the part they played in our failure in Bengal and now once again another Province, if not practically atleast emotionally and mentally has been separated! First the Rape of Dr Shazia by a Captain enraged the local tribals. and the lack of justice added to it.. then the Murder of Nawab Akbar Bugti by the establishment made Baloch’s believe that perhaps their elders decision of accession to pakistan was a mistake and the nationalist leader had to pay! This was naturally exploited by the already existing separatist elements and external forces! Situation in Balochistan will never improve unless the ones responsible r made to pay for what they did, Generals are made accountable for their acts and top of all… Our forces and our Agencies stops supporting their Chiefs in every single act…. Cuz i suppose state is more imp than any individual!
The other has produced partial facts and represented the state view of the issue. He has been rebutted on LUBP.
Everyone knows that Zia era’s sectarian organizations like Lashkar e Jhangvi and taliban linked groups are behind the killings of Shia Hazaras. Hazaras in Afghanitan also get killed in the same way by taliban and other wahabi groups.
Solution to Balochistan problem is so simple that all of us would be astonished, whoever takes the initiative; army and hard-liner baloch talk to eachother and sort it out just like that and everything would be resolved. Baloch are very simple, straight forward, brave and respect seeking people like any other human being. On the other hand army has misunderstood them, if someone can do that there would be peace in Balochistan and Pakistan will really prosper !
I would say this an opinionated article from a person who has little knowledge of what is really happening in Balochistan. For a truer a picture I would suggest those who interested in a more accurate picture should read what a former Chief Minister – now hounded by the agencies – had to say in yesterday’s ‘Daily Times’.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\115\story5-11-2010pg3_3
It is clear to me that the author has either not travelled across Balochistan and / or has never interviewed common Baloch. Because if he had, he would know that the hatred for Punjabis is universal not only among the common Baloch but also among the Pashtuns.
The Baloch is right is saying that Punjab is responsible for much of their plight. For one, Punjabi-dominated economic system and military have not only captured most of the prized lands of Balochistan, they have also not benefited the common Baloch. You can note that most of the Army men are Punjabis. You can also very clearly see that companies operating in Balochistan tend to employ Punjabis / others rather than go for the local Pashtuns or Baloch. If this won’t create grievances, what else will. And to top it all, Gen. Musharraf allowed Punjabis to dominate GDA (Gwadar Development Authority). And you still think the hatred for common Punjabi is uncalled for?
I am sure, as a regular visitor to Balochistan since 2005, that the grievances of Baloch against Punjabis of all shades and hues are much stronger than they were before the murder of Akbar Bughti. It is now or never and Punjabi-dominated system must realize that there is no stopping Baloch except that they are given their rightful share of their province’s mineral and land resources.
Better a man from Punjab avoid suggesting Balochis about ills in their social set-up, based on one’s observation. Because what we see as ills, to Baloch those could be like strong social bonds.
Whats with the ” within Pakistan’s federal framework. ” rant, Mr. Ejaz ??
Things must improve not only in Balochistan, but every else too. Progress must be made. But why must it happen staying within the federation???? thts not a given.. .
“Let me put it up front: Balochistan needs to be healed — within Pakistan’s federal framework.”
This is what the indians say about the kashmiris!
So do u in principle agree with indian claims?(i.e. they want the kashmiris to find solution in their constitutional frame work, which btw is better than ours)
Let me put it up front: Balochistan needs to be healed — within Pakistan’s federal framework. Those who want freedom by resorting to violence and through the support of hostile elements have no place in any negotiating process unless they lay down arms. Let us also flag the point that the issue is about Balochistan’s grievances, not just Baloch grievances. Lest anyone forget, Balochistan houses other ethnic groups too.
Sounds eerily familiar, if you replace Kashmir for Balochistan and India for Pakistan. One important caveat though,’Balochistan houses other ethnic groups too’, whereas in Kashmir ‘ethnic cleansing’ got rid of the other ethnic group namely the Kashmiri Pandits.Are same / similar forces working on elimination of Pandits / Hazaras.
any partnership devoid of reciprocity is bound fail .of Baloch are as good or bad as any other Pakistani so it is not fair to over look their grievances by emphasizing weaknesses in their social structure or age old Sardari system….yes improvements are imperative but we cannot force anyone into accepting dictation from Islamabad .Once Baloch get real sense of ownership of their resources they are quiet capable of realizing the need for correction in their way of life or imbalances in their way of governance buts lets first accept the ground realities and take the first step of seriously addressing their grievances other wise the extremist elements will continue to have a fields day
Why can’t you post from your real name? Baluchistan became an issue after the government did not give them their due share and rights. Kashmir was an issue since day 1.
it is true that Balochs have grave & legitimate issues with Pakistan. But the way they go about addressing those issues is shocking & totally uncalled for. They also tend to make it very clear that they have a separate history from most other races in Pakistan. It might also be said that they consider their race superior to others. Perhaps by blaming Pakistan, these ‘Baloch Supremists’ are absolving themselves from their and their leader’s failures. It very interesting as a lot of people in other parts of the country also tend to hide from their failures by attributing their problems to being created by conspiracies of ‘the west’.
These racist elements should not be allowed to determine the destiny of Balochistan.
Exactly the same point as the fellow up there raised
[ Let me put it up front: Balochistan needs to be healed — within Pakistan’s federal framework.
If the above is true, then whats wrong in the stance of India when it says grievances of Kashmir should be treated within the Constitution of India. Oh come on dont bring the word – ‘disputed’. It is just there for 63 years. Balochistan is same as Kashmir, Some of the indigenous people are not happy and formenting trouble…
@Ejaz u cant suggest solution based on ur convenience… what happened to peoples aspiration here… can we demand a plebiscite among Balochs?? ]
The fact is people of BALOCHISTAN dont want to live with PAK based upon their experience of deception by PAK establishment. Thats the bottom line. If the writer of this post and others want to hide it with an ostrich’s attitude, good for them. That however wont changed TRUTH. The 100% truth.
If rest of PAK is “honestly” interested in giving the baloch people their due rights, then they need to first aplogize and then change their own attitude.
As resident of Quetta, i believe you are absolutely correct… great job!
Pakistan-occupied-Balochistan(PoB) needs to be freed. I hope India takes this matter in Security council. There is a gross human right violations in Balochistan as Pakistan army is involved in killings of innocent civilians. It is only a matter of time before Balochistan is freed. May god help freedom fighters against Pakistan armed forces.
“whats wrong in the stance of India when it says grievances of Kashmir should be treated within the Constitution of India. *Oh come on dont bring the word – ‘disputed’. It is just there for 63 years. Balochistan is same as Kashmir, Some of the indigenous people are not happy and formenting trouble”*
Although I can certainly understand my Indian friends’ desire that the conundrum of Indian-held Kashmir be solved within the framework of Indian constitution, the parallels with Kashmir do not really hold water. Just because you say Balochistan is the same as Kashmir does not unfortunately make it so. The latter is a disputed territory since 1947, recognized by the U.N.; the former is an undisputed constituent unit (province) of Pakistan. Balochistan is to Pakistan what Manipur, Assam etc is to India. Kashmir is a different matter altogether.
Just the other day, Irom Sharmilla, hailed by many as “the Iron Lady of Manipur”, who has been forced fed through her nose, marked her 10 years of hunger strike, which she started hoping to to repeal the excesses of Indian army. Manipur is just one of the states in India rocked by separatist activity. Thus before my Indian friends get overwhelmed with glee looking at Balochistan, take a breath and look at your own backyard.
The Pashtun Perspective.
Pashtuns of Balochistan have no history of living with the Baloch state before 1970.Till 1878,these areas were part of Afghanistan when British occupied them and made them a seperate province of india called Chief Commissioner province or british Balochistan(with 95% pashtuns).Even till 1955,the Pashtuns had their own seperate administrative unit.It was not until 1970,when One-unit was abolished that Pashtun areas were merged with Kalat state union to form the current province of Baluchistan.BTW Pashtun districts of Balochistan are: Zhob,Sherani,Musakhel,Loralai,Pishin,Quetta,Qilla Saifulla,Qilla Abdulla,Harnai,Sibbi,Ziarat.
And Pashtuns are a very significiant ethnic group of Balochistan.According to the 1998 census,Pashtun population was shown to be 30% despite the fact that Pashtun nationalists had boycotted the census.On the other hand,Baloch were at 54% which also included Brahvis.Now,Brahvis are racially different from Baloch as the former are of Dravidian origin and the latter are Aryans.The languages are also different.So,as things stand today,The Pashtun population may be very close to that of Baloch,if not equal or more.
The Pashtun Perspective.
I admit that the military establishment is trying to pit the Pashtuns against the Baloch.For example,some dead bodies of BSO-azad students have been mysteriously recovered from pure Pashtun areas such as Ziarat.On the other hand,burnings of Pashtun properties in Baloch cities and some killings have come to the fore also.The Pashtuns(even the nationalist ones) have objected to the killing of Punjabi professors and labour in Quetta because it disturbs the peace of of their city.If you remember Talat Hussain’s interview with Brahamdagh,He asked him ”What will you do with the Pashtun population of Balochistan after independence?”Typical devilish Talat.Brahamdagh replied(i am paraphrasing)”Pashtuns have their own land,we don’t want an inch of their land,They can join Afghanistan or Pashtunkhwa as they like”.Similarly no Baloch nationalists have ever laid claim on the Pashtun areas and this issue was settled when Pakistan oppressed Nations movement(PONM) was formed.
On the other hand,the relations between them till now have been very good.For example,Pashtunkhwa milli awami party has supported most of the strike calls given by the Baloch in Quetta,be it Akbar Bugti’s or Habib Jalib’s death.Everyone knows that the only party that has the muscle to close down quetta is PMAP.If it weren’t for them,noone can close down even a portion of quetta.PMAP categorically SUPPORTS Baloch national struggle but what they want from the baloch nationalists is that they don’t disturb Quetta’s peace by killing the settelers.
@Zabash gul
Balochistan(then Kalat state union,not the present day Baochistan geographically) may not be recognized by the UN as disputed but the accesion of Kashmir to india and that of Balochistan are very very similar.The Baloch declared there independence on 11 august 1947.and the Pakistani army occupied it in march 1948 on Jinnah’s order.and then Khan of Kalat signed the accession papers(on the conditions that only defence and foreign relations be controlled by pakistan) while the parliament of the baloch(the closest thing they had to a parliament those days) opposed the accession tooth and nail.Doesn’t it sound similar to Hari singh,Nehru etc.While there was considerable support in kashmir for accesion to india in the form of National confrence,no such thing was present in the Baloch.And,there have been alot more and early indegenous militant resistance in balochistan than there was in kashmir.1948,1958,1974,2005 comes to mind.
There is so much wrong with this article that one fails to understand which part of it to address.
First, who is Ejaz do decide for the Balochs to live within the federation of Pakistan?
Second, which province does not have members of other ethnic groups. karachi has Baloch, Punjabi, Pashutns, does that deprive Sindh of a claim over Karachi?
Thirdly, are Balochs also responsible for the sectarian killings in Karachi and Lahore? We all know sectarianism is a problem with that exists throughout Pakistan. It is the brainchild of Zia’s Islamization process.
Fourth, do you think Balochs are responsible for the massacre of Hazaras in Hazarajath and Bamiyan in Afghanistan? C’mon, Ejaz.
Fifth: Ok Pashtuns live, say they are even the majority in Balochistan. See, all resources are based in Baloch areas and a large part of the conflict is because of the resource distribution. Sui, from where gas is discovered, is a 100% Baloch populated area. Gwadar, with a port which will connect South Asia with Central Asia, is 100% Baloch. Reko Diq gold project is based in a Baloch district.
@NAREJO: We may bury our women alive but that does not give anyone an excuse to invade our land. Punjabis praded Mukhtaran Mai naked, does that provide the Balochs a chance to grab your rice farms?
@malik siraj akbar: we don’t want even a single inch of your land nor do we want your resources.We just want our land unified with Khyber Pashtunkhwa and we have enough resources(hydel,electricity,tobbacco,minerals,Natural gas) to take care of ourselves if Punjab’s imperialism is thwarted.Pashtuns and Baloch are not opponents.We should be allies in the face of Punjabi imperialism.
he says everything that has been the weak points of the baloch movements, stuff we’ve known ourselves. yes, we know what our problems are, yes we know we are full of contradictions within ourselves, but what we also know is how exploited we;ve been for decades. these people you talk of, at least they’re DOING something. what has the state done? this article is like a bad record playing over and over again, its just getting sad at this point.
ALI: I am a staunch supporter of Baloch-Pashtun unity. There are no differences between two brotherly nations. Its only some outsiders try to create rifts among us.