Daily Times

Surging terrorism in Balochistan needs to be analyzed in the correct context. Growing concerns about the evolving security challenges are not misplaced but a miscalculated response would be damaging on many accounts. In the past, comrades of different brands tried to lure in the Baluch youth towards ill-conceived revolutions. Since 1877, the British government managed Baluchistan as an agency of the crown through various influential tribal chiefs aka Sardars. British Raj generously opened the coffer to Sardars who in return were responsible for ensuring peace in respective areas.

This colonial governance arrangement is known as the ‘Sandeman System’ which strengthened the influence of Sardars in Baluchistan. 1947 partition which subsequently raised the question of Baluchistan’s accession with Pakistan; posed a potent threat to the Sardari system. Reluctance of Khan of Kalat to the accession was rejected from the outset by Kharan, Makran and Lasbella. Reluctant Khan of Kalat received another embarrassing blow when Nehru rejected the accession plea on 27 March 1948. Later on, Baluchistan took the natural course of accession with Pakistan. Certain Sardars were not happy with this arrangement amid the subsequent abolishment of their grip on society. The ethnic composition of Baluchistan is quite interesting as more than half of the populace does not speak the Baluch language. As per the 2017 census 35.49% population speaks Baluchi whereas the remaining 74. 51% population speaks Pushto, Brahui and other local dialects. Approximately 50% of the Baluch population lives in adjacent areas of Sind province and earns livelihood peacefully. While gauging the hype of separatism in the province we should remember that the Pushtun belt in the province is free of any such tendency. Those who create hype that Baluchistan is drifting away from Pakistan are usually carried away with either social media optics or acting purposefully on the agenda of spoilers. Certain relevant aspects should not be ignored while deliberating upon the issues of Balochistan. What is the reality of terrorist groups who frequently claim responsibility for attacks? Why do the terrorists always choose armed forces, LEAs, CPEC-related installations and Punjab-based labourers as targets? The intensity of social media campaigning revolving around the backwardness and marginalization of Baluchs often portrays deeper signs of separation in the province.

The triangle of foreign hostile powers, local Sardars and exploitative anarchists is the root cause of present unrest in Baluchistan.

Social media propaganda has played a big role in creating the optics of an unmanageable crisis in the province. It serves the purpose of those hostile powers which are inimical to the prosperity and stability of Baluchistan. Backwardness in far-flung areas of Balochistan is a genuine problem. However, it is not an exceptional phenomenon specific only to Balochistan. Many areas in Punjab, Sindh and KP provinces are also deprived of basic amenities of life awaiting the generosity of ruling quarters. Ironically, hostile elements are exploiting governance issues of a universal nature to ignite the fire of ethnic hatred among the deprived Baluchs. This tendency has emerged as an unwritten law that spoilers always pick existing issues to create a wedge between the state and the citizens.

After igniting the fire of discontent, these spoilers never seriously pursue the solution of issues on the ground. A just solution to the issues can extinguish the fire and repair the dented relations between the state and the citizens. This happened in East Pakistan almost five decades back with active Indian support including blatant military invasion! The same hostile powers are now trying to recreate the 71 tragedy in Baluchistan as well. Since geography is not suitable for the isolation of Baluchistan militarily, therefore, anarchists and their handlers are more focused on creating deeper destabilization. Successful completion of development projects is one such move which can dislodge the entire mechanism of anarchists. Unfortunately, the prevailing democratic system has not yet been able to liberate the Baluch society from the shackles of Sardars. Sandeman’s system still prevailed in the form of influential tribal sardars who never let the state resources trickle down to the common people. Opportunist Sardars are responsible for the backwardness and depravity in Baluchistan which is being exploited by the hostile foreign powers to mislead the youth against the state.

The triangle of foreign hostile powers, local Sardars and exploitative anarchists is the root cause of the present unrest in Baluchistan. It would be unwise to delink this situation with prevailing geopolitical and global contestation. Beijing’s factor in ongoing development projects predominantly CPEC has brought global powers into the intricate game. We know about the deep alignment of India with those Western powers who are striving hard to contain China. No rocket science is required to decipher the warmth extended to India-backed Baluch anarchists in the West. Fabricated human rights hype, terrorism, targeted killings of non-Baluch citizens, manipulative protests cum sit-ins and attacks on strategic installations are precisely designed to portray Baluchistan as a trouble zone. Anarchists can not offer anything concrete other than misleading the Baluch youth with hollow slogans on the path of violence, ethnic hatred and terrorism. It is about time for Baluchs to get rid of foreign puppets and link with the state for a stable prosperous future.

Ther writer is a freelance columnist who can be reached at sikandarnoorani@yahoo.com