Turbat killings

The macabre killing of 20 labourers in Turbat’s Gogdan area manifests the grim side of the law and order situation in Balochistan. The deceased were people who came to the province from other parts of the country and formed a formidable workforce working on projects ranging from infrastructure to construction. Despite recent incidents that have ethnic connotations, the province has succeeded in attracting a large number of people – mostly labourers – from other parts of the country.
Now here comes the question of law enforcement. The province has a mix of law-enforcement agencies – the police force in cities like Quetta to the Levies force to the Frontier Constabulary – but the situation on the ground is one of utter failure. If we have been able to learn anything from all this it is that we need to initiate dialogue with the disgruntled elements of the Baloch society and that too without delay. The political leadership should look into this matter seriously and if necessary the prime minister should convene an all-parties conference to chalk out a strategy for restoring peace in Balochistan
Siraj Umrani
Turbat