Balochistan News Letter – June 2013
This is a brief Talk of the Town Report compiled for
those interested in Balochistan. Significant developments are listed hereunder.
http://www.rifah.org/site/balochistan-news-letter-%e2%80%93-june-2013/
Brahamdagh Bugti in Geneva, Harbiar
Marri in London and Akhter Mengel in Wadh (Baluchistan) implement the strategy of their sponsors
orchestrated with finesse and underpinned by betrayal and duplicity
Post Election Developments- Formation of New Government, 1-
June. The
newly elected MPAs were sworn in on Ist June. 20 MPAs, in a House of 65, had
never before been its members. The party position is: PML(N) 16, PKMAP 14, NP
11, JUI(F) 8, PML(Q) 5 and one each of Jamot Qaumi Movement, Majlis
Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen. Akhtar Mengal’s BNP(M)’s three members did not take the
oath citing rigging in Election as the reason. Sadiq Umrani of PPP also alleged
‘a conspiracy’ was responsible for the defeat of his party. Nawaz Sharif was
given the mandate by all three sizeable Parties, PKMAP, NP and PML(N) to
nominate the CM. The numbers suggested that PML(N) President Sanaullah Zehri
might become the CM. However, given the aggressive stance taken against ‘sub-nationalist
Baloch/Brahui Parties, Mian Nawaz Sharif Dr. Abdul Malik as CM who is a Baloch
hailing from Mekran. The new CM is from NP who was elected unopposed. He took
oath on 9 June, as the 14th CM. He is neither a Sardar nor does he
have political background linking his father and family. He has been in
politics since student days and is looked upon as a balanced but not assertive
person. Jan Jamali of PML(N) was elected as Speaker and took oath on 3 June.
Many MPAs addressed the PA in regional languages which was objected by Deputy
Speaker. On 13 June,
Muhammad Khan Achakzai, elder brother of Mahmud Khan Achakzai, and nominee of
PKMAP, took oath as 22nd Governor of Balochistan. It’s after 5 years that a
Pashtun has become the Governor.
Law and Order Situation, 1- 8 June. On 1 June FC
arrested 4 persons from Zhob area recovering a huge quantity of arms and
explosives. A man was killed on Sariab
Road, Quetta by
unknown persons riding a motorcycle. Two men were killed in the same area on 2
June and one was wounded by gunfire the next day. FC Commander at Dera Bugti
announced that in all some 700 militants had laid down arms there in response
to the government’s offer on amnesty. Three rockets were fired in Sohbatpur
area with no loss. FC carried out operation against militants in Turbat area
and two were killed. Electricity pylon was blown up in Rakhni area close to the
area of Marri tribe. A car laden with explosives was hauled up by FC on 4 June.
The same day, two FC men were killed in Noshki by militants. NP Vice President
Hasil Bizenjo demanded that forced disappearances and mutilated bodies of
Baloch/Brahuis must stop. Tehsildar and his Deputy were kidnapped from Dera
Allah Yar. FC carried out a search operation in the suburbs of Quetta on a tip off. In an
exchange of fire with terrorists belonging to LeJ, five, including a woman and
a child were killed and several men from Police and FC were wounded. Police
arrested an unsuccessful candidate in recent Election who led a gang of 22
persons and recovered kidnapped persons from his custody on 7 June. Akhtar
Mengal blamed ‘conspiracy by intelligence agencies’ for the prevailing
lawlessness.
Law and Order Situation, 9-15 June. In Quetta, a grenade was thrown at a car
showroom injuring two and a dead body was found in Kharotabad area. In another
shooting, two persons were killed on Thana
Road. Militants fired at FC convoy near Panjgur.
In retaliatory fire one militant was killed. 7 soldiers of FC were wounded in a
bomb explosion when their vehicle was passing near Mastung. A trader’s son was
kidnapped from Quetta.
Another man was killed near Panjgur in a shootout between FC and militants. Two
BNP(M) workers were killed in separate incidents by gunmen in Khuzdar. The
Party said its workers were being killed systematically. On 12 June a man was
killed by unknown militants near Jaffarabad while two more were killed near
Bhag. One person each was killed in Quetta
and Dhadar area by unknown gunmen on 14 June. Three men belonging to Pishin
were killed near Afghan border when they hit a landmine and one man was killed
near Jaffarabad in a similar incident.
Law and Order Situation, 15-20 June. Quaid’s Residency in
Ziarat, some 130 years old iconic symbol of Balochistan was destroyed by
explosives and fire during the night 15/16 June. Baluchistan Liberation Army
(BLA) a Baloch/Brahui insurgent group sponsored by CIA and RAW, accepted
responsibility. A policeman was also shot dead by the raiders.. By midday on 16
June, another bomb was exploded by a suicide female bomber belonging to LeJ in
the bus of Women University
in Quetta. When
the wounded were taken to Bolan
Medical College,
another suicide bomber exploded himself in the Casualty Ward. Three more
militants kept firing on law enforcing agencies. By the evening when peace was
established, 29 persons had been killed including four young girls of the
University, Deputy Commissioner of Quetta,
his assistant, five doctors and nurses, 4 FC personnel and some pedestrians.
The University was closed for a week. Federal Interior and Information
Ministers visited the next day and were quick to blame the security agencies.
The Interior Minister severally criticized security agencies and just stopped
short of blaming them for the incidents. However, he did not condemn the militants
and did not mention even in passing the foreign conspiracies. He also promised
to rebuild the Residency in 3 months. Two persons were killed near Kalat in an
explosion. A dead body was found near Chaman. Three Magsi elders on their way
to Quetta to
receive the dead body of University girl student were kidnapped. On 20 June,
Islamabad HC judge - Shoukat Aziz Siddique - declared the Amnesty Scheme
for smuggled vehicles in Balochistan to be unlawful. This was noisily protested
by thousands of affected people who blamed the Federal Government to have made
them pay billions and then cancel the Amnesty. MPAs have asked the CM to plead
the case. A NATO container travelling to Karachi
was fired at and damaged by militants near Mastung, another was burnt near
Kalat. A grenade was thrown at a house in Mach injuring a woman.
Balochistan’s Budget, 20-27 June. The CM presented the
Budget. While the total income generation of the province is estimated at
Rs.6.4 billion, the budget is pegged at Rs.198.4 billion with Rs.43.9 billion
for development and Rs. 35 billion for education. The deficit is expected to be
met by the Federal Government. While there is a gross deficiency of teachers in
all institutions all over the province, another 300 new schools are optimistically
planned to be opened while the same number will be upgraded. Interestingly, JUIF walked out from
PA in protest. They never protested while they were in power since 1972,
especially during the previous regime of PPP when anarchy was being allowed to spread
and billions were being taken away by MPAs, JUI(F) included. The Budget was
passed without any amendment on 27 June.
Balochistan
Politics, 20-30 June.
The CM invited Baloch/Brahui armed groups for dialogue, and abolished discretionary
and secret funds. He declared maintenance of law and order and removal of
corruption as his top priorities and considered ‘general amnesty’ against the
temperament of Baloch/Brahui. He also blamed bad governance and corruption on
the last government which has brought Balochistan to its present state. On 25
June, PKMAP suspended MPA Nawab Ayaz Jogizai’s basic membership without
announcing the reason. PM’s announcement for trial of former President
Musharraf has been received by mixed feelings. The politicians mostly hailed it
as a ‘great step’, most common people are indifferent. However, most people
considered the rule by President Musharraf to be far better than what has
followed during the past five years of Democracy. The Defence Counsel of ex-President
and some opposition parties, notably the MQM, demand the trial of former
President for his action on 12 October 1999, which they hope would incriminate
the CJ Iftikhar Chudhary. The CM has started bringing about some administrative
improvement by ordering attendance of doctors in hospitals and removal of
encroachments in Quetta.
Anti-encroachment operation has also been started
in Quetta with
the help of Police. However, the pace is too slow and half-hearted.
Law and Order, 21-26 June. A man abducted from Quetta was recovered by FC from Dalbandin
area. A bomb exploded in Dera Murad Jamali. A suicide bomber carrying a bomb
got killed when it detonated near Muslim Bagh. FC post was attacked near Duki
by Marri militants. Six terrorists were killed near Dera Bugti in exchange of
fire with FC. Near Washak, a small village in the middle of province, militants
fired at Levies and killed the driver. Two men were killed by militant in Quetta in Satellite
Town area. FC recovered
huge quantity of explosives and weapons from a truck near Quetta coming from Chaman. A grenade was
thrown at a Punjabi official’s residence but no damage was done. A bomb
exploded near Dera Murad Jamali with no loss of life. The CM suspended DC and
DPO of Ziarat and asked all to be vigilant. Near Awaran, a roadside bomb
exploded on 26 June, killing one official of FC and wounding several. Three
Czech ladies travelling to Iran
were kidnapped, possibly by TTP. A dead body was found from the suburbs of Quetta.
Law and Order, 27-30 June. A suicide bomber exploded accidently
killing him and another passerby near Kuchlak. A teacher was killed near Sariab
by unknown gunmen. A dead body was recovered by the Police from Sariab area and
two oil tankers were set on fire near Mastung. A man died in a mine blast near
Sohbatpur. The CM formed a tribal Jirga of local elders to settle the ongoing
bloody feud between Akhtar Mengal and Shafiq Mengal in Khuzdar area. Shafiq
Mengal son of former federal minister Nasir Mengal is pro-Pakistan and Akhtar
Mengal is the son of Attaullah Mengal and brother of insurgent Javed Mengal.
Their feud is seen as a fight between pro and anti-Pakistan forces of Mengal
tribe. Two men were killed in Kharan. Three dead bodies were found dumped near
a graveyard in Quetta.
On 30 June, a suicide bomber struck at Shia Hazara colony in the evening
killing 28 and injuring over 80. This is the second major attack in a month in Quetta on Shia Hazaras.
The 28 hours long road block near Khuzdar at Wadh on RCD Highway, home town of Akhtar Mengal, resulted in
two children dying due to heat stroke. Later, unknown gunmen fired at
stationery buses, killing three including a driver. This resulted in transport
strike and agitation in Quetta.
Akhtar Mengal’s BNP(M) was quick to blame FC and “death-squads” of Shafiq
Mengal for the killings although the blockade was carried out in his own
hometown.
Comments
The pre-election peace which was the result primarily of the
presence of Army in Baloch/Brahui areas, was shattered almost immediately as
the Army withdrew to cantonments after the elections. While the crime had
continued without any reduction, insurgency and sectarian killings have
returned with a vengeance. It has now become difficult to separate crime from
insurgency and militancy. Indeed, sectarian killings, militancy, insurgency and
crime seem to be orchestrated by the same masterminds who choose the target and
the time with planning not only provincial but also national level.
After the Ziarat attack and bombing of Women’s University, the
Interior Minister Choudhary Nisar was quick to condemn the security and
intelligence agencies, rather than condemning ‘BLA’ and LeJ. Similarly, the
determination of the federal government to ‘negotiate with the TTP’ has only
encouraged the militants. A counter insurgency policy for Balochistan is not
even being discussed. The focus seems to be on reviling the Army whether
through ministerial outbursts or eagerness to carry out the trial of former
President Musharraf. The judiciary also appears eager to settle scores.
In Afghanistan,
where even wedding parties are attacked by US jets killing women and children,
no one believes that Baloch/Brahui insurgent’s camp and movement goes unnoticed
by Us Drones. Therefore, deep resentment and hatred is brewing against America
among patriotic Pakistanis. The insurgents in Balochistan seem to have received
fresh instructions to intensify attacks from their sponsors – the CIA, India,
and President Karzai.
Destruction of Quaid’s Residency at Ziarat was felt like a
physical blow by most Pakistanis; the Pashtun especially felt very hurt. There
are apprehensions that anti-Pakistan professionals are selecting such soft
targets which are highly vulnerable and capable of creating psychological
effects. Rather than trying to protect every soft target, the source must be
attacked and destroyed by military force. Talk of ‘negotiations’ encourages
insurgents.
The responsibility for attack on Ziarat was claimed by ‘the
BLA’. However, it , it is believed that it was helped locally by the General
Secretary of PKMAP, Akram Shah - a Pashtun, who gave them asylum in Shahrig,
some 25 km south. This is the first known connivance of a Pashtun with militant
Baloch/Brahuis. PKMAP therefore, ought to be kept under observation. Insurgency
has now spread to Western Balochistan. Due to
continuous absence of the writ of government, even the Pashtun areas which had
always remained peaceful and safe, are now witnessing growing crime. However,
most of the perpetrators are from FATA and Afghanistan. Their movement ought
to be watched.
It is an open secret that the insurgency in Balochistan was
fomented mainly by the USA
and India
as their strategic goals coincided. The UK and Afghan President Karzai
co-operated being subservient. This fine tuned insurgency has thus continued
due to foreign support for the past 7-8 years. The US
has even increased diplomatic anti-Pakistan activities by presenting
separatists in UN and allowing them to talk against Pakistan’s solidarity. Besides,
their long-term plan is to destabilize Pakistan
to coerce it to get favourable support for the impending drawdown of NATO/US
forces from Afghanistan
in 2014.
To bring peace to the province, the holding election is not
enough. A CM from NP, who is a pacifist, non-sardar and has no experience of
administration (other than being Education Minister once) or management of
violence. Regardless of how well meaning he is, he just cannot enforce
peace in Balochistan. But the election of Dr. Malik and acceptance by most
without horse-trading and the bribes is a positive outcome of election. His
slow but surely visible administrative actions are promising. However, he does
not appear to be able to take difficult decisions, especially against
insurgents and militants. So far, the multi ethnic/racial PA is staying loyal
to CM without open bribes. However, Akhtar Mengal claims his ‘crown’ was taken
away by Establishment’s rigging. He has already started agitation, shooting at
buses, blocking RCD highway astride his hometown of Wadh and blaming the dead
on FC. Unless it is checked forcefully, it will only spread to other areas with
the help of foreign powers. His links with insurgents sitting abroad, his
brother included, must be watched.
For the first time in the 42 years’ parliamentary history of
Balochistan, JUI(F) is out of power. They are now practicing ‘walkouts’.
Cracks have started appearing in PKMAP who’s most prominent MPA Nawab Ayaz
Jogizai has been ousted from the party, allegedly because Mahmud Khan Achakzai
appointed his own brother as the Governor rather than Nawab Jogizai who was
hopeful and who protested.
The CM of Balochistan, who begins to look at life out of power,
becomes a weak head of government thinking of returning to turbulent tribal
environment without state protection. It is the PM, therefore, who must
formulate a counter insurgency policy, seeking advice from the Armed Forces who
have to implement that policy. The urge for Army bashing must be resisted if
peace has to be restored and stability ensured.
Shooting down a few hired guns, defusing a few IEDs,
confiscating a few caches of smuggled arms may impose caution but will
certainly not bring peace. Check posts, placing guards here and there is a
passive watch and ward activity; it is incapable of countering insurgency
sponsored by a cartel of multiple-foreign-states.
The Counter Insurgency Policy must deal with all those
supporting the insurgency – directly or indirectly. This includes ethnic
nationalists as well as sectarian lobbies that justify attacks on civil or
military personnel as “reaction” to one action or another of the government to
justify targeted assassinations or indiscriminate bombing. The media is playing
an active role to glorify insurgents and discredit the military. The Government
spokesmen are often found to wanting on TV screens because they are invariably
pitted against persons chosen for their ability to use strong language – even
vile abuse. What is needed is media blitz, underlining socio-economic projects
and reaching out to pro-Pakistan elders of the three militant tribes – Marri,
Bugti and Mengal - who are not militants. Ultimately, it would be necessary to
destroy the hide outs and training camps, close channels of funding and
logistics, eliminate leaders of insurgents living in Baluchistan
or abroad and establishment of military courts to ensure deterrence of
criminals and co-operation of fence-sitters. The politicians and militants
alike have been accusing the government of carrying out ‘Operations’ in
Balochistan. Let those begin in real earnest.
The new Federal Administration must realise and admit that a 4th
Generation war has been waged on Pakistan by powerful foreign powers
using the media, and six to seven young men from three disgruntled tribes of
Balochistan. Zardari-Yousaf-Raisani purposefully allowed the nexus to progress
by calculated apathy and inaction. The backbone of the insurgency in
Balochistan has been broken; but It may revive if force is held back to quell the
insurgency and resorting instead to appeasement and offer of talks to traitors
living on foreign dole. If the Government appears weak in standing by friends
and patriots or in dealing with insurgents with force, the criminal elements
from all over the region would join in to multiply the force of rebellion. ++.
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