Who are behind Pakistan’s Turmoil

By Zaheerul Hassan

The terrorists carried out suicide bombing and a blast in Mardan on June 18, 2013. In the first incident a suicide bomber exploded him in the funeral and in the second incident a bomb exploded in CMH Mardan, where in emergency the casualties were being evacuated. In these blasts more than 30 persons killed and 60 injured. MR. Imran Mohmand recently elected Member of Provincial Assembly is amongst the martyred.

On June15, 2013, militants attacked female students, patients and innocents people in a bus and Bolan medical complex in Quetta. In the early hours of same night at about 0130 am   militants hit the Quaid-e-Azam residency in Ziarat with hand grenades.

The terrorists destroyed the historical monument where the founder of Pakistan Mohammad Ali Jinnah spent his last days. In this raid a police man outside the Quaid's residency was also killed. Reportedly, four militants on two motorcycles entered the residency and hurled hand held bombs. Unfortunately, old memorials; chairs, beds, and historic photographs of the founder were burnt to the ground in the resulting fire.

In the other unpleasant episode of Quetta, a suicide bomber   has detonated him in a bus parked in the parking lot of Sardar Bahadur Khan University which killed 14 female students and injured as many as 19 other students.

When victims were shifted to the Bolan Medical Complex a second blast took place and as many as 14 terrorists stormed the hospice. They killed four FC personnel and the deputy commissioner who responded to the attack. Security forces surrounded the hospice before commandoes stormed the complex and killed the attackers. At least four attackers were killed while one suspect was arrested.

The federal government, while dismissing talks of foreign supported terrorist’s hands, has said that they will fully support the provincial government and an inquiry committee will be setup to probe the matter.  President, Prime Minister, Chief of Army Staff and all segments of society condemned the militant actions against Quads’ residence and killing of innocent students.

Concerning aspects of this episode have been noticed by the masses when notwithstanding the deplorable act of the militants, the electronic channel of the largest media group aired a programme of missing persons and started criticizing security and intelligence agencies. Moreover, senior anchor of this channel instead of condemning the militant acts tried to twist the issue in favour of militants and their sponsored. He also maligned intelligence agencies in both the blasts and indirectly played the RAW and CIA game plan. Social media too very openly exposed the agenda of this media group and voiced that Ministry of Information and PEMRA should take actions against such type of anti state programmes which in the name of independent media are busy   in spreading anarchy in the country.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan stated that a joint committee will also be formed which will assess the damage to the Quaid-e-Azam residency Ziarat that had been attacked early on Saturday. The committee will also draw up restoration plans.

Anyhow, according to BBC the militant group BLA has claimed responsibility for last night’s attack on the Quaid-e-Azam residency in Ziarat and the banned militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) has claimed responsibility for the bus bombings in Quetta.

Though, two different organizations, BLA and Lej, separately claimed the responsibilities of attacking activities but selecting of targets, timing and intentions clearly indicate that these are very much interlinked.  In my opinion the planner of these attacks have same motives and use the name of Lej to divert the attentions of investigating agencies into two different directions.  Their objectives could be to hit the basis of Pakistan ideology, multiplying insecurity feelings, stopping government from taking steps of developing Balochistan and create sectarian rifts between Shia and Sunni communities.

In fact, the militants have speeded up their activities just after handing over Gwadar Port to China, announcement of Pak-Iran Gas Pipeline, after international court verdict against Barrick Gold Corporation of Canada (a Jew’s company) on Reko Diq issue and winning of patriotic political elite in elections 2013.  

Reko Diq is a small town in Chagai District, Baluchistan located 70 kilometres northwest of Naukundi, near to the Iran-Afghan border. The town has the world´s largest Gold and Copper reserves containing 12.3 million tons of copper and 20.9 million ounces of gold in inferred and indicated resources.

Rough estimates suggest that the gold and copper at the surface accounts for $65 billion worth of deposits which is believed to be four times larger in copper ore tonnage than Saindak project and even bigger than Sarcheshmeh in Iran and Escondida in Chile.

The development of the deposit defiantly will bring prosperity in the most neglected province of Pakistan i.e. “Balochistan” where 88 per cent of its population lives in subhuman conditions. But at the same all this economic boost is directly conditioned to the Baluchistan’s security.

Anyhow, US-UK and India area fueling the Baloch militancy while providing finical, political and moral support to Baloch militants. On 23 June this year, UK and US openly supported a terrorist “Murri” and provided him a chance to use UN human rights forum for yelling against Pakistan.

Since couple of years, Carnegie Endowment for Intl Peace has rented its space to the Balochistan Society, of North America (BSO - NA) to hold conference on Balochistan. Alongside this development, United States Institute of Peace (USIP) has also held an event “Turmoil in Balochistan. The participants of meeting were (1) jaz Haider (a journalist from Pak), (2) Shazadi Beg (member of Department of Justice UK), (3) Selig Harrison (a contentious journalist known for his critical views on Pak), (4) Marvin Weinbaum (Middle East Institute). The speakers fomented venom against Pakistan very openly as directed by their masters. At that time, former Pakistani Ambassador to USA     Mr. Haqqani has written an unequivocal letter to the President of the Carnegie essentially arguing that Carnegie’s renting of its space to the BSO – NA could potentially damage Pak – US relations; legitimise the activities of the BSO – NA who is an adjunct of a terrorist organisation BLA banned in Pak and urged the Carnegie Endowment to revoke its decision of renting space to the BSO – NA.  No response has been rendered by Carnegie Endowment and the meeting have been conducted in the manners as desired by CIA.

In 2011, former American ambassador had meetings with Jirga and stressed them to have close liaison with US embassy. The government should not take easy U.S. Ambassador Interaction with Pakhtun leaders in Balochistan a simple interaction and need to be monitored persistently since such type of connections might be using to back and covertly fiving directions to traitors for creation of rift between Pakhtun, Baloch, Punjabi, Shia and Sunni

Anyhow, regardless of affiliations of terrorists and without getting involve into nitty-gritty’s, the government to take strict actions against militants. At the same time, the Government of Pakistan should make American and UK clear that the implications of supporting Baloch separatists will affect the interstate relationship and safe exit of US led ISAF forces in 2014.  US political leadership must understand that any sort of support to militants of Balochistan will not be able to pay dividends to US and UK.  American government should also think that arranging events, which are ideologically or politically motivated, serve to undermine Pak’s solidarity would be taken as flaming the issue.  Newly elected political elite like Mehmood Achak zai, Chief Minister, Dr. Malik and many others should come out to strengthen the hands of security agencies in elimination of terrorism in the country, rather than unnecessary carrying out criticizing them for gaining cheap popularity.

The above stated facts are sufficient enough to reach on the conclusion that Quetta, Ziarat and Mardan blasts are of similar natures and the launched by the same handlers. US.UK, and India are supporting openly supporting BLA, TTP and anti Pakistan elements. Moreover there are some Islamic countries too those are playing their sectarian battle in Pakistan. Afghanistan and India are providing weapons and training to the Baloch militants. Some sections of media are playing in foreign hands just for their economic gains. Thus, there is a need to come on one page and fight the militancy to defeat all type of militancy. The political elite and media should voice against interference, instead keeping shut against US, UK, India, Saudi, UAE and Iranian involvement in Pakistani violence.