Islamabad's role in 'Great Game'

By Dj Mathal

THE brutal killing of Northern Areas Legislative Assembly (NALA) deputy speaker Syed Asad Zaidi has sent a wave of anger throughout Gilgit-Baltistan. The enemy has struck a horrible game. But more horrible is the fact that the identity of the enemy remains blurred and may never be known keeping in view the past record of such incidents in the region. As usual, there are speculations as who were behind the killing of Asad Zaidi and what their motive was. It is, however, understood that the incident was not a handiwork of sectarianism but part of a great game being played in the region to attain some other objectives. There are some forces who want Gilgit-Baltistan burning in the fire of sectarianism; they also want that there should be hate mongers among the people of Baltistan against the people of Gilgit and vise versa; and that everyone in this strategic region sharing borders with five countries should remain in perpetual hunger, unemployment and poverty, always blaming someone for their fate. These unseen and unknown forces have paralyzed the local administration and the whole system. It seems that the situation is drifting to a point which was prevalent in the former East Pakistan before 1971. When efforts to bring the masses to a single platform and promote unity in the region start bearing fruits, such incidents start happening and send the efforts back to the square one. The slain Syed Asad Zaidi belonged to the Kharmang village of Skardu district. He was highly educated and possessed a serious, matriculate and sober personality. As deputy speaker of NALA, he remained quite active. Besides his own constituency, he had also influence in the power corridors of Islamabad and among the politicians of the country. The satanic elements who eliminated Asad Zadai, it seems, wanted to create a 2005-like situation in the region. However, they failed to achieve their designs. People of the region now realize that neither the murder of Asad Zaidi in Kashrote area and attack on the car of SPP Nizamuddin in a Chilas suburb were the war of Shias and Sunnis nor they were a result of sectarianism. The killing of a Balti political leader within the limits of Gilgit and attack on the police officer in Chilas seems to be aimed at pitching the people of Gilgit and Baltistan against each other and creating a gulf between the masses on the lines of sectarianism. We believe that Asad Zaidi was not only the leader of Baltistan but of the whole of Gilgit-Baltistan and the whole region was his hometown, not only the Kharmang village. His actual murderers are not those who fired the fatal shots at him but those who gave the guns to the murderers. It is also a fact that the murderers are not only the culprits in the killing of Asad Zaidi but are the enemy of the whole people of the region. It should also be kept in mind that hordes of law enforcers including the army, scouts paramilitary Rangers and secret agencies are deployed in all parts of Gilgit-Baltistan and despite that we see unending series of killings and law and order problem in the region. It is not merely a case of carelessness to maintain law and order but the fact is that the hidden forces hell-bent on destroying the peace of the region want to prove that actually they are in the control of the region.As the rampant target killings and other crimes are continuing in the region, the local people are compelled to raise the question that when these law enforcers are unable to protect them what is the need to maintain them put here at their expense. They should be sent back without any delay.On the other hand, there are continuous talks of a great game and Talibanization in Gilgit-Baltistan. It is also feared that soon suicide bombing will also start in the region and then taking cover under the given situation, the announcement of the so-called package may also be postponed. There may be direct link between the situation in Gilgit and that in Swat and Fata but the way Islamabad has been committing carelessness and laxity in handling the situation, it seems that the rulers are directly involved in the great game being played here. People are now asking that whether Islamabad has any role in the great game which was referred to by the chief secretary of the region.People of Gilgit-Baltistan should be careful of three things: First they should not consider such brutal killings as a result of sectarianism; second, they should openly reject anything promoting rivalry between the people of Baltistan and Gilgit; and thirdly, they should trust their own people and support them instead of hoping anything from the government of Pakistan or any other outsider.

(www.weeklybaang.blogspot.com)