Misguiding the Baloch People
By Sajjad Shaukat
Hanna lake snow Quetta
After taking cognisance of the general pardon announced by the Pakistan government for the Baloch separatist leaders, and favaourable hearings of the Supreme Court of Pakistan about the missing persons of the province of Balochistan, holding Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Military Intelligence (MI) and Frontier Corps (FC) responsible for them including deteriorated law and order situation in the province, Sardar Akhtar Jan Mengal, former Chief Minister of Balochistan and head of the Balochistan National Party (BNP) returned to Pakistan. Meanwhile, son of late Nawab Akbar Bugti and chief of Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) Nawabzada Talal Akbar Bugti also came back.
Both the Baloch leaders shared same views in misguiding the Baloch people by concealing the real situation of Baloshistan, created by Pakistan’s external enemies.
During the hearing in the Supreme Court, Sardar Akhtar Mengal distorted the facts, while raising false allegations against the security agencies of the country, which have continuously been leveling by the anti-Pakistan elements. Giving a six-point solution to the Balochistan issue, Akhtar Mengal suggested to the Supreme Court that all proxy death squads, operating under the supervision ISI or MI in the province should be disbanded. He stated that all missing persons who are under the custody of intelligence agencies should be produced, and Baloch political parties should be allowed to resume their political activities without any interference from these agencies. Mengal explained that those responsible for torture, killing and dumping of bodies of Baloch political leaders and activists should be brought to justice. He added that military operation should be stopped in the province and measures should be taken for the rehabilitation of the displaced Balochis.
In reply to Akhtar’s statement, the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry ordered that all the disappeared people should be produced before the court and proxy death squads formed by the ISI and MI should be disbanded.
Afterwards, Akhtar Mengal revealed that he will not talk to the government about any reconciliation process unless the acceptance of his six points.
Talal Akbar Bugti showed the same tone by inciting the Balochis against the centre in some diplomatic style. While emphasising that the government should provide basic rights to Baloch people, he blamed the security agencies for killing of people, missing persons and military operation in Balochistan. He also declared that he would not take part in the elections until FC, ISI and MI leave the province.
Besides, political leaders like Nawaz Sharif of PML-N), Syed Munawar Hasan, Ameer of Jamaat-i-Islami and Chairman Imran Khan of PTI including those of other religious parties who met Akhtar Mengal and Talal Bugti encouraged them in maligning country’s key security institutes, and misguiding the Balochis about the missing persons in order to increase their vote bank at the cost of Pakistan’s integrity. Especially Imran Khan supported the six-points of Sardar Akhtar Mengal.
Talal also invited all political parties to make grand alliance for general elections and to lend a hand to pull the country out of the present crisis.
However, during their interaction with media Akhtar Mengal started following the tone of late Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, while Talal indicated that the current situation of Balochistan is worse than that of West Pakistan in 1971.
Nevertheless, the federal government and the armed forces in a joint statement to the Supreme Court, rejected assertions of Baloch leaders Sardar Akhtar Mengal and also of Tala Bugti saying that “armed forces are neither conducting any military operation in Balochistan nor are there any death squads of intelligences agencies in the province.” The statement clarified that no missing person was in the custody of the secret agencies and every political party in Balochistan was free to work.
In fact, baseless accusations of both the Baloch leaders are part of a deliberate campaign which has been accelerated by the foreign-based NGOs, human rights groups and media against Islamabad. With the secret support of American CIA, Indian RAW and Israeli Mosssad which are well-penetrated in these entities and Pakistani media are being used for vile propaganda against Pak Army, ISI and FC in relation to the human rights violations and disappeared persons. US, India and Israel seek to separate Balochistan from the federation of Pakistan to obtain their secret strategic designs. With the help of Baloch separatist leaders who have taken refuge in western countries, these hostile entities are perennially distorting the image of Islamabad and its security agencies in relation to Balochistan.
For these sinister aims, on July 31, 2011, a rally was organised by Baloch Human Rights Council in UK in front of the US Embassy in London, which raised false allegations such as inhuman torture and extrajudicial murder of the Baloch intellectuals by the Pakistan’s security agencies. Besides, a demonstration was held outside the United Nations in Genva on the occasion of the 19th Session of UN Human Rights Council to condemn the human rights violations in Balochistan. Apperently, the demonstration was organised by Mehran Baloch, Balochistan’s representative at the United Nations and Noordin Mengal, but in fact, it was arranged by anti-Pakistan entities and Indo-Israeli lobbies with the cladestine assistance of America. On all these occasions, Sardar Akhtar Mengal and Talal Bugti played a key role secretly.
Recently, the delegation of the UN Working Group also visited Pakistan to know about human rights violations and situation of missing persons, particularly of Balochistan. As the UN is under the influence of the US-led major countries, so it also raised similar allegations against Pakistan’s security agencies.
Regrettably, Akhtar Mengal and Talal Bugti also met those media anchors who are working on the payroll of the foreign elements, and they provided them false information to misguide the general masses about Balochistan.
Reliable reports suggest that these media commentators and Baloch separatist elements including Akhtar Mengal and Talal Bugti have been invited by the US officials and participated in their secret meetings in Pakistan so as to accelerate propaganda against Balochistan as part of a conspiracy against the country.
Pakistan’s internal elements, especially political parties should know that the reality behind the worsening circumstances and the missing people of Balochistan is that secret agencies like CIA, RAW and Mossad which have well-established their collective network in Afghanistan are in collusion, and have perennially been supporting bomb blasts, suicide attacks, abductions, target killings, ethnic and sectarian violence in Balochistan through their affiliated militant groups such as Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Jundollah (God’s soldiers), Balochistan National Party led by Sardar Akhtar Mengal and other Baloch feudal lords (Sardars) to dismember Pakistan. Their subversive activities have resulted in missing persons in Balochistan.
In this regard, Pakistan’s Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik repeatedly disclosed that he also showed proof about training camps being run in Afghanistan, and supply of arms and ammunition by the Afghan government to Baloch separatists inside Balochistan. Malik explained that BLA has owned 299 terror attacks in the province in which more than 170 personnel of the FC were martyred.
It is mentionable that a Gallup survey of the UK official body, DFID, conducted on July 20, this year, disclosed that the vast majority of the Baloch people oppose the idea of an independent Balochistan. This survey has proved that some external elements have been conducting acts of sabotage in the province by backing the minority groups.
While, civil, federal and provincial governments are making strenuous efforts to restore peace and order in the province. For this purpose, a paramilitary committee has also been formed by the ruling party to hold negotiations with the disgruntled elements. And recently, Chief of Army Stall Gen. Kayani stated that the military would support any political settlement in Balochistan within the confines of the constitution.
No doubt, on the direction of their foreign masters, Baloch leaders Akhtar Mengal and Talal Bugti have returned Pakistan to further misguide the Baloch people by arousing their sympathies through their pre-conditions and by manipulating the law and order situation.
Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations
Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com
