Daily Times

Balochistan is in the headlines for very wrong reasons once again. This time it was an attack at Quetta railway station which took the precious lives of innocent passengers. Banned BLA’s notorious faction ‘Majeed Brigade’ has accepted the responsibility for a terrorist attack. Prompt claiming of such a heinous terrorist attack is in itself corroboratory evidence of the fact that why the BLA was placed on the list of banned Organizations. Though most of the terrorist attacks launched by banned BLA were restricted to Balochistan, the terrorists had displayed outreach in other parts of the country as well. The recent terrorist attack on Chinese citizens near Karachi airport is the latest evidence of the larger objectives of the terrorist group. So-called flag bearers of Baloch rights are meaningfully silent on the repeated massacre of innocent residents of Balochistan in the hands of banned BLA and its splinter group Majeed brigade. This question needs deliberate brainstorming that how terrorism can benefit those Balochs who want peace, prosperity and decent employment.

So-called flag bearers of Baloch rights are meaningfully silent on the repeated massacre of innocent residents of Balochistan

Those ethnic groups which are extraordinarily vocal mostly on social media platforms about the right of the Baloch with a biased critical pitch towards the state should not remain silent on the brutal killings of unarmed citizens in the hands of banned BLA. This persistent silence is very dubious and meaningfully aligned with the deeper objectives of banned terrorist groups. Ethnically motivated separatist groups are continuously fanning the venom against the Punjab and the armed forces. Brutal killings of innocent Punjabi labourers in far-flung areas of Balochistan are the bitter outcome of venomous ethnic prejudices overplayed by banned militants. Ironically, rights activist pressure groups are blaming state institutions instead of the hardcore separatist terrorists for the catastrophe in the already underdeveloped Balochistan. Long marches, sit-ins, and social media campaigns are designed to divert the attention of the masses from the heinous crimes of banned terrorist groups. It is very clear how the fancy rights pressure groups soften up the opinion of simple-minded Balochs in favour of the hardcore terrorists. Much talked about the long march followed by a sit-in of the Baloch women led by a firebrand lady doctor in Islamabad could not deliver anything tangibly to Balochistan except strengthening the profile of a few female demagogues. Balochistan deserves better leadership and decent advocacy as compared to the verbal cannonade of a few foul-mouthed activists. Brutal killings of the Punjabi labourers in the dark of night are not the cure for the sufferings of Balochs. CPEC and aligned development projects are aimed at the uplift of Balochistan in terms of employment opportunities, Infrastructural developments and collective prosperity of the residents. Terrorist groups like banned BLA including all splinter groups and their sympathizers are backstabbing the Balochs with the dagger of terrorism. All brutal acts of terrorism are aligned with those foreign masters who want to ditch Pakistan and contain the growing influence of China in the region. Terrorist groups like banned BLA do not represent Balochs; rather they are the pawns of anti-Pakistan forces.

The writer is a student.