Quetta blast

In recent weeks there has been a great deal of talk about establishing peace in the troubled province of Balochistan. The military establishment has claimed the surrender of hundreds of nationalist fighters. The Balochistan government has meanwhile been claiming it is attempting to establish contact with key nationalist leaders and begin a dialogue to end the violence that has shaken the province for years. Talks with the alienated grandson of the late Nawab Akbar Bugti, Brahamdagh Bugti, were mentioned as well – and then these claims seem to fade away. What is not fading away despite all these efforts is the violence in Balochistan. In a bombing targeting a bus along Quetta’s Saryab Road on Monday evening at least 11 people including two children were killed and 23 others injured. Initial investigations show five to six kilograms of explosives had been used. Ordinary people appear to have been the victims, with Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik stating that labourers were primarily targeted.
Quetta has seen a spate of ethnic, sectarian and other violence over the last decade. In 15 years at least 1400 Shias including hundreds of members of the Hazara community have been killed. Obviously there will need to be a further probe into the individuals or groups behind this latest callous bombing of the bus. But what we do see is that violence in Balochistan does not appear to be ending. Rights activists in the province also report that the issue of missing persons has still not been resolved. The solution clearly is not an easy one to find. But it is important that the elected civilian government of the province be permitted to make key decisions without interference from any other quarter. This has not always happened and the failure complicates matters. It is also vital that we are permitted to hear the voice of the people of Balochistan. The attacks to silence them simply add to the turmoil in the province – and to the perceptions of injustice which fuel it. These perceptions can be exploited by outside elements to worsen conditions in a key area which is of special significance since the CPEC is to run through it, with China already expressing concerns about the law and order situation in the area.