Balochistan needs political solution

ISLAMABAD: As India’s focus on sponsoring terrorism and insurgency in Balochistan increases to target CPEC, the government also appears to have reduced its emphasis on the political solution.

A couple of years ago, the government had approved a plan to bring back angry Baloch besides establishing contacts with some important dissident leaders. However, nothing positive came out as an official source claims that the aspect of political solution has lost its emphasis during the last couple of years.

During the recent past, some of the self-exiled Baloch leaders have further gone ahead with their campaign against Pakistan amid late reports of India having allocated over Rs50 billion to target CPEC by creating unrest in Balochistan.

A well informed official source associated with the security administration told The News that India’s evil design could be effectively countered by a combination of administrative, developmental and political solutions.

The source said that while the security agencies’ operation against terrorist groups continues in the province and has also helped improve law and order situation in Balochistan, yet without political solution the objective of durable peace could not be achieved because of India’s increasing interference.

A couple of years ago during the tenure of Abdul Malik Baloch as CM Balochistan, contacts were established with certain dissident Baloch leaders including the exiled Khan of Kalat Mir Suleman Daqood and Brahamdagh Bugti.

It was reported by the media then that the authorities had engaged with Brahamdagh Bugti to persuade him to lay down arms, shun violence and get back to the national mainstream. At that time the authorities were optimistic of the positive outcome of contacts with Brahamdagh Bugti but later things became complex as Bugti sought Indian nationality.

The then Abdul Malik Baloch government had also announced to approach the 'Grand Baloch Jirga' in order to try and convince Khan of Kalat Mir Suleman Dawood to return to the country. Malik said that he had also held meetings with the Khan of Kalat.

Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during one of his visits to Quetta had also approved what was called the “Pur Aman (Peaceful) Balochistan” plan aimed at bringing the angry Baloch back to the national mainstream. Sharif while chairing a high level meeting had said that those who would lay down arms would be given incentives. The Pur Aman Balochistan plan was approved in a meeting, which was also attended by the then Army Chief General Raheel Sharif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Governor Balochistan Muhammad Khan Achakzai, Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch and Commander Southern Command Lieutenant General Nasir Khan Janjua. The authorities were asked to reach out to the people of Balochistan and make them partners in the development process.

According to Pakistani security agencies, RAW is involved in providing financial support to dissident Baloch leaders for undertaking terrorist activities in Balochistan. It is said that RAW has sponsored hundreds of young Baloch, who were taken to Kabul for indoctrination against Pakistan. Apart from training, RAW also provided financial assistance for the publication of propaganda material against Pakistan in Baloch-dominated areas of Balochistan.