Balochistan: See no evil

Polarized at our own peril

As if Pakistan was not polarized enough, the last few months have seen Balochistan and the problems that the people there face, finally receive some much deserved attention. Then again, they are many who argue that yet not enough attention is being given, with reporting selective.

As an example, this polarization was evident as the following clip illustrates, as a political organization, the JI which claims to have the interests of the Baloch people at heart, struggles to share solidarity with the family of victims.

One-liners, easily shared

Many narratives are perpetuated, shared and unquestionably regurgitated. 

1) The Baloch sardars have been exploiting the Baloch masses for decades and now the "liberal" types in Pakistan are hailing them as heroes.

2) There is a foreign hand involved in Balochistan which is hell bent on breaking Pakistan up.

3) Balochistan, nay Pakistan, has been blessed by god with bountiful supplies of natural wealth, which, if not for the foreign hand, exploitative sardars and corrupt politicians, Pakistan could have mined and exploited billions of dollars of mineral wealth.

4) The Army chief has said so: there is no military operation in Balochistan.

5) China has noted that Balochistan is a strategic corridor for it, and therefore, is investing billions to develop mines, ports, airports and roads. We must do whatever to support our brothers from the north.

6) Why are liberals silent about the murder of Punjabi settlers? 

Hear no evil

Now they are some valid claims amongst the above points; they are repeated, shared and justified. However, for the vast majority of people in Pakistan, the claims, grievances or demands of the people of Balochistan are not as well known. We are told what the Baloch think and we assume what is best for them, however the fact is that until very recently, views and opinions of Baloch leaders and activists has been missing from the daily news cycle. In short, we all seem to know why Balochistan is important and why there is violence there, but know little or nothing of the people that we are outraged against. 

An ungoverned void

Further, the issue is muddled as blatant assassinations of the Hazaras has added a sectarian flair to the violence. We cant clearly demarcate between two groups with competing interests.  Extremists terrorist organizations in the mix, justify the killing of these peoples due to their sectarian affiliation. As long as they are people championing such acts and celebrating the perpetrators as heroes, regardless of geography such acts will continue. With no accepted state authority to exercise its sovereignty such acts will continue with impunity. 

Surely, not everyone is a CIA/RAW/Mossad agent. Even if there is foreign interference they are at best exploiting grievances? 

And the list continues. Denial and half truths are a potent mix, yet somewhere in between the denial and emotive nationalism lies the truth.

Who is killing them is what is debated, often vehemently! What riles up people is not that people are dying, but the accusation that the Pakistani security establishment is somehow involved, leads to a proliferation of outrage. How dare someone accuse them of torture and murder?

But then, as if subconsciously and unaware, the narrative tilts to, "so what if they were killed? they were terrorists who got what they deserved".

All caught up

When it comes to Balochistan, we seem to have spun ourselves into a web.

After demanding for decades a plebiscite and the right for self determination for Kashmir, rightly or wrongly, we deny that same rights to the Baloch people. This is explained as clear hypocrisy by the states critics. Islamabad however claims that Balochistan status in the federation is not disputed so this point is not relevant. However, that too has come under alot of debate recently. The worst of this debate, is in the following video, which adds a religious angle to the position of Balochistan in Pakistan. Such propaganda pieces are hardly helpful (warning, graphic content). 

After criticising US/NATO policies in Afghanistan, drone strikes that help create more militants, the night raids that turn communities towards the Taliban, the Pakistani military seems to be doing the same in Balochistan. Now some argue that its not the Pakistani military/intelligence behind these abductions, but if not them, then who? And why is no one looking for who is actually behind these cases? 

Rehman Malik, has repeatedly claimed that there are foreign and/or third hands involved in the militancy in Balochistan. If so, why is this evidence not made public or issue raised internationally? If the government has evidence to corroborate this claim then they should make this public to pile international pressure on such foreign states who are brutalizing Balochistan. If he, the government and security establishment have such evidence, and continue to remain silent, are they not enabling the perpetuation of violence?

Balochistan seems to be in a perfect storm of sorts. They are ruling sardars, and deprived peasantry, geographic importance, mineral wealth, a brutal security state, inept politicians, a sanitized media and jingoistic rhetoric. 

Beyond the point of no return? 

What I fear the most is a wave of emotive nationalism which would actually champion at worst, or remain silent, at best, as violence is justified to keep Balochistan a part of the federation.

A people are judged by how they treat the most vulnerable in their society. What no one can deny is that people are being abducted and they are being killed. There is something very wrong with a people that accepts such violence as part and parcel of maintaining the federation. This in itself should lead to much soul searching. 

If so, that is in clear violation of the law and the constitution and if we stand idly by, then we accept that the state, the law and the courts are not sovereign over its largest province, and all is already lost.