What is the real source of motivation for extremists active in Baluchistan if it has been proven that they have nothing to do with the teachings of Islam?
What is really behind ‘monumental failure’ of the Interior Ministry, not necessarily the one headed by Chaudhary Nisar, in tackling terror in Baluchistan? Why the religious outfits carry out acts of sabotage in Balochistan, but are allowed to roam freely in Punjab and the federal capital?
The narrative that a neighbouring country wanted to destabilise Balochistan needs to be given a fresh thought. Who were enemy’s partners in rendering the southwestern provinces defenceless? Were these really Indians who prevented LEAs from protecting helpless students, Hazaras, and police cadets?
Long before the findings of the judicial commission on Quetta carnage had highlighted failures of Interior Ministry, NAP’s failure had become proverbial truth.
So many times the outgoing Army Chief had pointed out the fact of civil regime lacking its interest in executing NAP agenda. Every time, Chaudhary Nisar had raised his accusing finger at provincial governments.
Now what Nisar appears to say, and he held a press conference following Justice Faez Isa’s report, is that he was helpless before provincial governments vis-à-vis curbing terror.
The ‘autonomous’ federal units were reluctant to implement what he could have desired on the part of the Center. The PM House had its own problems. An outrageously rebellious Khan straining his nerves had really tied hands of Nawaz Sharif in the matter of Balochistan.
Chaudhary Nisar has complained that the commission should have given him an audience before concluding its report. It was what the Commission did not feel the need of. The evidence of negligence was profound in Nisar sticking to his portfolio but acting against the rules.
Leave aside what chief secretary of Balochistan said before Justice Isa, the province’s request to ban ASWJ on the basis of several FIRs implicating this sectarian outfit did not find receptive ears in the Interior Ministry.
Not only Chaudhary Nisar held meetings with the top lot of the ASWJ but also allowed it to violate section 144 in Islamabad. One also should not forget his bold favours to the sermon leader of Red Mosque.
Leaving Balochistan’s western borders unattended warrants explanation at a time the southwestern province was under deadly assault from sectarian outfits.
What about the NACTA? It remains a toothless body. It remains dysfunctional despite two years of its constitution as a focal institution to combat terrorism.
Lawlessness in Baluchistan has something to do with the vested interest having stakes in open and unregulated Balochistan borders.
How Pakistan, declaring war on extremists, could afford free flow of men and goods across its borders; the burden of explanation remains with the Interior Minister.
With Nisar Ali Khan not accepting his responsibility for rendering Baluchistan defenceless, the whole terror campaign in the southwestern province had become a mystery that needs to be explored in depths and details.
The law enforcing agencies lacked coordination, and the provincial government was lost in corruption and nepotism makes Quetta hospital really tragic event.
“If the functionaries of the state had established a bank of forensic information on past attacks, and pursued the cases, they might have prevented the attacks of August 8; in this regard, the 2012 Terrorism Case Judgment has still not been implemented,” the Commission report says.
The lawyers’ killing in Quetta was not an isolated event. Hazara community, cut across by Pak-Afghan border, and having stood opposed to Taliban, was under attack since after PPP had taken over the Center and formed a government in Baluchistan, other than Sindh.
Despite its whole anti-Taliban rhetoric and the claims of being on the same page with Army during the most part of its tenure, the PPP too could not make the people of Baluchistan feel safe from the onslaught of sectarian outfits. One does not know why the fact-finding Commission should not have summoned Rahman Malik to state his own narrative.
The civil and military leadership had given a consensual response to Quetta blast as a conspiracy against CPEC. The Chief Minister had instantly raised his accusing finger at the eastern neighbour who had driven terrorists from the western borders.
The Commission’s findings just prove Nisar as an irresponsible fellow occupying an important ministry. What does he actually mean when he says he has offered resignation but rejected by the Prime Minister?
Chaudhary Nisar, still, has to make his submissions before the competent Court on how he was left helpless in warming up state’s muscles in Balochistan. Otherwise, the PM would be in the dock, and this time more badly than what PTI had once planned for him.
Lastly, what about the damning influence of smuggling mafia involved in cross-border movement of humans, drugs and explosives?
In a country having very legal means for unexplainable capital flight, the unaccountable profits of smugglers may buy up any person having any authority to disrupt their business.
Be it sectarian military or ethnic separatism, both need to be critically reviewed keeping in mind that unregulated borders mean a lot to the interests sponsoring the consortium of terror.
Chaudhry Nisar cannot be singularly blamed for failing to regulate the western borders; the scope of inquiry needs to be expanded to the law enforcing agencies as well.
Let the blood of innocent people, and there is a long list of victims in Balochistan, not go waste in revealing the truth about the whole saga of lawlessness in Baluchistan against the fact of its unregulated borders.
The writer is an Islamabad-based veteran journalist and an independent researcher. He can be reached on Twitter @riazmissen