Daily Times

Last month’s trail of deadly attacks littered across Balochistan could have been an excellent wake-up call for the ruling elite in Pakistan to focus on internal security challenges rather than continuing with the self-inflicted grudge matches. However, a letter addressed to National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq by veteran politician and Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal, lamenting, “Each day, we are pushed further against the wall, leaving us with no choice but to reconsider our roles,” reinforces something we had known all along. Nothing much would change, after all.

For the sake of protecting harmony in the parliament and to at least give the optics of a functioning democracy, it is sincerely hoped that the government would be able to convince Mr Mengal to take back his resignation letter, which can only occur by listening to the grievances of people he represents.

Balochistan has been riddled with a myriad of challenges that could not change with a single touchdown of the prime minister’s plane in Quetta. Even if the executive did the right thing by calling on the blood-stained province and reiterating his resolve to bring peace, there’s only so much hollow words can achieve. Reducing the serious threats emerging from Balochistan to a security matter is an entirely wrong approach.

Genuine and effective action relies on actively engaging with the true stakeholders of the people, listening to their concerns, and ensuring they receive their fair treatment. Mr Mengal may not respond well to kneejerk dismissals but could be convinced by prioritizing the health, education, and security of his people.

The glaring problem remains that the state is in perpetual denial about decades of political discrimination and denying a fair share of resources to its people. Until this is addressed, the government will struggle to make progress with completing the ambitious CPEC project or to make Balochistan a valued asset. *