Sensations about Balochistan’s Missing Persons
By Sajjad Shaukat
While the Supreme Court of Pakistan has been hearing the cases of the missing persons in the country, but situation of Balochistan is graver in this respect, where sense of deprivation and grievances have already intensified among the people.
It is notable that the agents of American CIA, Indian RAW and Israeli Mosssad are well-penetrated in the foreign and Pakistani media, various NGOs and human rights organisations which are being used for vile propaganda against Pak Army and intelligence agencies, especially Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in connection with the missing persons. In this respect, on July 31, 2011, a rally was organized 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 Pakistani army and ISI.
It is our misfortune that without knowing the reality, while speaking in the language of anti-Pakistan external elements, some of our own media anchors, so-called NGOs and human rights groups spread disinformation, creating sensations about the missing persons of Balochistan. Either, these internal entities want to get good coverage in the foreign media or are on the payroll of the foreign enemies like US, India and Israel.
In this regard, on June 2011, a two-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by the former Justice Javed Iqbal had condemned the role of NGOs in relation to the case of missing persons of Balochistan. He had remarked that NGOs exaggerated figures of missing persons, but failed to provide details about them. He elaborated that these NGOs were just spreading sensationalism and conducting press conferences without obtaining facts, asking their representatives to provide complete details of the disappeared persons. Observing the critical situation, the judicial commission, led by the Justice Javed Iqbal decided to visit Balochistan.
It is mentionable that in the recent past, ISPR spokesman, Maj-Gen Athar Abbas, while rejecting human rights groups’ reports as a conspiracy against Pakistan, called for probing the funding of these organisations as this could be traced back to those forces which want to destabilise Pakistan. In this regard, Senate Standing Committee on Finance on February 27 this year strongly supported a bill seeking regulation of NGOs, operating with foreign funding.
However, reality behind the missing persons of Balochistan is known to everyone. In this respect, Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and another group, Jundollah (God’s soldiers) which have been fighting for secession of the province gets logistic support from CIA and RAW. Their militants kidnapped and killed many innocent people which include teachers, professors, Shias and the security personnel in the province. Many persons in Balochistan have also been killed in bomb blasts and suicide attacks. On a number of occasions, BLA, Jundollah and other separatist groups claimed responsibility for these criminal activities. Besides, disappeared individuals are also in the detention centres (Farrari Camps) which are being run by Baloch feudal lords (Sardars). With the support of US-led India and Israel, these Sardars are fighting for their so-called prestige status and influence, and want to continue old system of feudalism in the province.
It is worth-mentioning that on August 14, 2009, Financial Times (online) had reported “Settlers from other parts of Pakistan, especially Punjab, have been given deadlines to leave.” As a matter of fact, this is what US-led India and Israel wanted by inciting the general masses of Balochistan to openly speak against the federation of Pakistan and the Punjabis for all the injustices, created by the Baloch feudal lords. They resisted the government development projects, while working on the American agenda.
It is of particular attention that on February 8, 2012, the hearing of the US Congress Committee on Foreign Affairs, chaired by Dana Rohrabacher discussed target killings and human rights violations in Balochistan, blaming Pakistan’s security agencies. He has also co-authored an article, favouring an independent Balochistan. It has exposed US support to the Baloch separatists who are responsible for missing persons.
In this context, on March 1 this year, Raja Irshad, the council for the ISI and Military Intelligence (MI) told the Supreme Court bench that “foreign elements” were involved in fomenting terrorism in Balochistan, so the agencies could not work with their “eyes closed” to the Balochistan issue.
Besides, a number of missing persons went to Afghanistan and India as they were serving their foreign secret agents. Some of them were murdered by foreign secret agencies in order to implicate Pak Army and ISI. For example, Balach Marri was killed in Afghanistan. Notably, since 2001, a majority of Pakistanis also left for Afghanistan for Jehad purposes, without informing their families, while many Balochis also joined the Jahadi groups. Most of the people were abducted by the miscreants in Balochistan, and then taken to Afghanistan for ransom. Moreover, suicide attackers themselves died during blasts, they also fall in the category of missing persons.
Nevertheless, the case of missing persons of Balochistan cannot be seen in isolation as it is part of secret strategic game against Pakistan. Particularly, Balochistan’s geo-strategic location with Gwadar seaport, connecting rest of the world with Central Asia has irked the eyes of America and India because China has already invested billion of dollars to develop this seaport. However, it is due to multiple strategic designs that the US which signed a nuclear deal with India in 2008, seeks to control Balochistan in containing China and subduing Iran. Balochistan has also shifted the Great Game to Pakistan. This is also owing to the mineral resources of Balochistan—especially gold and copper that US-led India and Israel have accelerated their subversive acts such as target killings, hostage-takings, suicide attacks, fueling sectarian and ethnic violence in Balochistan by assisting their affiliated insurgent groups. In this context, CIA, RAW and Mossad which have well-established their network in Afghanistan have been sending highly trained militants to Balochistan, who commit various acts of sabotage on regular basis. These external agencies also supply arms and weapons to the insurgents. Their main aim is the dismemberment of Pakistan by separating the province of Balochistan.
It is noteworthy that in August, 2011, US ambassador to Pakistan, Cameron Munter had requested Pakistan government for opening a US consulate in Balochistan. But knowing the real intentions of America, Islamabad had flatly rejected the offer.
This is regrettable that without taking cognisance of the facts, some leaders of political parties, particularly of PML-N have always accused Pak Army and superior agency, ISI for the disappeared persons in one way or the other, while focusing on Balochistan. The main aim of these political elements is to increase their vote bank by misguiding the general masses by making Pakistan’s largest province a tool of political manipulation.
There remains no difference between our external enemies and internal entities which speak in the tone of anti-Pakistan elements. So, it is our misfortune that instead of indicating real facts, our own media, so-called NGOs, human rights groups and some political elements spread disinformation about the missing persons of Balochistan, accusing country’s key security institutions by further strengthening the hands of the US, India and Israel which want to ‘destabilise’ and ‘denuclearise’ Paksitan.
At this critical moment, Pakistan is facing multiple crises of various nature, while country’s security forces and intelligence agencies are engaged in coping with subversive acts—besides fighting with the militants in some tribal areas. At this crucial moment, especially, Pakistan’s media need to point out foreign plot against Balochistan, instead of showing biased and unconfirmed reports about the disappeared persons of the province. They must stop sharing the blame game of the US-led countries in this matter. For this purpose, our parliament and government must make a code of conduct for the media, and particularly owners of the TV channels should also evolve a mechanism to expel ‘fake’ anchors from their community. In light of the already mentioned Senate resolution, foreign funds of NGOs in the country must be strictly scrutinised in relation to Balochistan. And our political leaders should also avoid exploiting the aggravated situation of the province.
All our internal entities must remove the ‘stereotypes’, created among the general masses about Pak Army and ISI regarding the missing persons of Balochistan where situation has already been deteriorated by the anti-Pakistan powers.
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
