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Saturday,
April 02, 2011
Terrorism in Pakistan;
Baloch and Sindhis Excluded
Written By Adeenag
-
 Pakistan
is the biggest
concern of the
civilized world, a
country steeped into
Extremism, terrorism
and
.with a
foreign policy of
exporting terror to
neighboring
countries India,
Afghanistan and
Bangladesh
-
Recently a report
published in The
Economist under the
heading,
A great deal of ruin
in a nation, Why
Islam took a violent
and intolerant turn
in Pakistan,
presented a bleak
picture of recovery.
Table of statistics
in proportion of
extremism and
terrorism on the
ethnic basis shows
that
.Fortunately
Baloch and Sindhis
nations are not
involved in
terrorism; as they
.are
regarded only
liberal people in
Pakistan
-
One
of also
astounding
revelations is that
six major extremist
organisations in
Pakistan derive
their source of
cadres from Punjabi
ethnic group. Four
out of six groups
constitute of Punabi.
Pashtuns lag much
behind by
constituting only
two out of six.
Mohajirs
.also
represents one
It is worth mentioning here
that Punjabis have not only
outnumbered other nations in
the extremist groups but
also in Pakistan military
and state institutions.
Pashtun has also the second
number similarly. Mohajir
also hold sway of third
position. On the same
pattern Baloch and Sindhi
are excluded. It means that
if in future extremists take
control of Pakistani state,
it does not change the power
structure on the ethnic
basis. It also omens for
sindhis and Baloch that they
have no better prospect in
either case. Punjabi
extremists will retian the
power, followed by Pashtun
and Mohajir extremists. But
these statics ignore other
variables and policies of
Pakistani state and
extremist groups that have a
thrust to spread extremism
to remaining parts and
ethnic groups in Pakistan,
which have resisted with
full strength so
.far
One of the great concerns of
the liberal groups in
Balochistan and Sindh is the
ongoing military operations
in Balochistan against
secular Baloch. The targets
are not only Sarmachars
(equivalent of freedom
fighters in Balochi) but
non-combatant liberal and
secular people who find it
hard to co-exist with
Islamabad’s brand of Islam.
Among them are students,
intellectuals, lawyers,
novelists, filmmakers,
singers, farmers and almost
all groups. According to
Amnesty International,
thousands of Baloch have
gone missing since Islamabad
started its military
operations in Balochistan in
2004. So far 130 mutilated
bodies of Baloch missing
persons have been recovered
in a short span of 7 moths.
Many believe the figures are
the tip of iceberg, fearing
the fate thousands of other
political prisoners
lingering in
.Islamabad’smilitary
torture cells, facing
inhuman brutalities which
supersede tortures in Nazi’s
concentration camps
Liberal forces in
Balochistan view the
eradication of secular
political workers as an
integral part of Islamabad
long sought-after policy of
Talibanization of
Balochistan to counter
growing nationalism among
Baloch which challenges
legitimacy of Pakistani
government in Balochistan.
Baloch nationalists want
restoration of sovereignty
of Balochistan occupied by
Pakistani forces in 1948.
Eradication of liberals and
nationalists will pave the
way of Taliban without much
resistance. So far such a
scheme has failed but it
will be possible if world
community does not take the
notice of .Islamabad’s
mass killings of secular
Baloch people
Recently Pakistan has
redubbled efforts to replace
secular forces with
Islamists. Pakhtuns and
settlers Punjabi with
handful of Baloch Mullahs
have been given the task to
launch Tableeghi
institutions across
Balochistan to counter
nationalist ideology.
Hundreds of new Madrassh
have been built. Several
Islamic NGOs have been
established to support local
population by making them
extremist. They are openly
blaming the nationalist for
anomalies in Balochistan and
calling for Jihad. Khuzdar ,
Panjgur and Gwadar districts
seem to be center of such
activities. Despite of
pouring of billions of
rupees and massive
propaganda, they have failed
to obtain support of local
people, except a few people
succumbed to the lure of
privileges. But once again
it does not guarantee that
in distance future
Balochistan will not be
talibanised. If Islamabad is
succeeded in eliminating the
secular Baloch political
workers, the province will
be .talibanized
and Pakistanized
So far the civilized world
has not reacted to the
brutalities of Pakistani
state unleashed upon Baloch.
Italianization of
Balochistan, a region at the
cross road of Central Asia,
Middle East and South Asia,
will not be less than a
nightmare for the civilized
world. Pressure should be
beeped up on Pakistan to
immediately end ongoing
military operations,
withdraw .its
military, and respect
aspiration of secular Baloch
people |
