Daily Times

It seems Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has had a change of heart. No more than four days ago, the political aspirant said that in his ‘new’ Pakistan, military operations would be halted, especially in FATA. However, he made no mention of the troubled province of Balochistan, which has seen its citizens facing the wrath of military operations through the paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) and mercenary death squads. Just a few days ago, Imran Khan said nothing about making a difference in Balochistan where the security forces routinely exhibit their might through the ‘kill and dump’ policy. There are people in the province who have ‘disappeared’ — to become the now infamous ‘missing persons’ — only to have their bullet riddled bodies found dumped in plain sight whilst others have never returned. He talked about how the military would not be used against ‘our own people’ but does he not consider the Baloch his own? The people suspect the FC as being the culprit; why then did Imran not talk about pausing military operations in Balochistan? However, this paper took very firm notice of his statement and cautioned Mr Khan not to ignore the province. It may be just wishful thinking but till yesterday the PTI chief was singing another tune.

At a political rally on Wednesday, Imran Khan pointed out that military operations would halt in the country, especially in Balochistan. Now that really is a shift in position, and it is most welcome. The grievances of the Baloch stretch as far back as the age of the country. For the past 65 years, the citizens of that provincehave been denied their due rights, their share of the province’s natural resources and their right to properly participate in the full political process. They have been denied access to education, healthcare and technology, being left to languish in their misery. The FC has also been flexing its muscles on the people in an attempt to suppress the nationalists. What this situation needs is not the blind eye but a political solution and dialogue where all these woes are discussed and resolved. However, for Imran Khan to apply the same rule to other troubled areas such as FATA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is just asking for trouble. The jihadis are not nationalists nor are they citizens deserving of our respect. They are cold-blooded murderers who need to be eliminated through extended military operations, a magnified intelligence infrastructure and properly equipped law enforcement agencies. Whenever they have been given the opportunity for dialogue they have used it to further their nefarious goals, which include rejection of the constitution of the land, democracy and enforcing their own brand of draconian Sharia. They have always been manipulators, stretching a hand out for negotiation while bombing this nation to smithereens with the other hand. Giving monsters such as these any leeway will only serve to demotivate the army and dilute its resolve to fight those who kill our own. Imran Khan needs to be slightly selective about his ideas. After all, this is not cricket where one clean sweep will fix everything. *