Located on the
southwestern coast of Pakistan, Balochistan’s Gwadar deep-seaport is close to
the Strait of Hormuz from where more than 17 million barrels of oil passes
every day. Its ideal location among three key regions, South Asia, the oil-rich
Middle East, and oil and gas-resourced Central Asia has further increased its
strategic significance. Its development with Chinese assistance and latter’s
bilateral agreements with Islamabad has shifted the great game of Central Asia
to Pakistan.
Besides, Balochistan’s
abundant mineral resources like gas, coal and gold, entailing
Pakistan’s close ties with China pinches the eyes of the US, India, Israel and some western countries which intend to
destabilize Pakistan for their collective aims. These hostile powers are trying to
create fissures between Islamabad and Beijing so as to sabotage their strategic
alliance.
In this regard, Balochistan’s business and trade
opportunities have also made it important for US, EU, Russia, China, India,
Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics to play the great game, while
anti-Pakistan powers are secretly working to create conditions to control and
influence the resource-rich zones, disregarding the compulsions of mainland
integration.
While
terror-acts and human rights violations are already keep on going in Balochistan,
but without grasping reality, and using the existing political predicament in the
province as a pretext to encourage separatism, external enemies raise voice on
human rights violations over projection of mass graves which were found in Tootak area
of Khuzdar on January 25, 2014. And Baloch Sub Nationalists (BSNs) have
unleashed false allegations against Pakistan by purporting fabricated figures
of bodies over 150 and declaring these bodies as missing Persons—articulated voices of external
enemies to alleged enforced disappearances, holding Pakistan’s security forces
and law-enforcing agencies responsible for every wrong which takes place in
Balochistan.
It seems ridiculous when some of them allegedly say that security agencies are
behind terrorist activities in Balochistan. Nevertheless, on 30 January 30,
2014, US Congressman Louie Gohmert delivered a highly venomous speech at US
House of Representatives on Balochistan Situation, citing his meeting with BSN
leadership, which was broadcasted live on Cable Satellite Public Affairs
Network in US. Senator Gohmert also read out the article of Tarek Fateh (Canada
based BSNs’ sympathizer), published by Toronto “SUN” on January 28, criticizing
US for ignoring the mass graves issue during US Senator John Kerry’s meeting
with Pakistan’s National and Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz.
Notably, India,
US and Israel have been internationalizing the Balochistan issue in accordance
with their secret goals. In this respect, in connivance with the Baloch
separatist leaders who have taken refuge in Switzerland, Sweden, US and London,
these external elements use media, various NGOs and human rights organizations
for false propaganda against Pakistan’s security agencies in relation to extrajudicial
killings, mutilated bodies and the missing persons.
As regards the deteriorating situation of Balochistan and the missing
persons, everyone
knows that Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and their affiliated outfits
including another group, Jundollah (God’s soldiers) which have been fighting
for secession of the province gets logistic support from American CIA and
Indian RAW—these militants kidnapped and killed many innocent people and the security personnel in the province.
They also massacred many persons through suicide attacks, bomb blasts, targeted
killings and sectarian violence. Therefore, they are responsible for dumped
bodies and extrajudicial killings in the province. On a number of occasions,
these insurgent groups claimed responsibility for their subversive acts. A
majority of the disappeared individuals are also in the detention centers
(Farrari Camps) which are being run by Baloch feudal lords (Sardars) who want
to continue old system of feudalism in the province.
Unfortunately, BLA and BSNs are
also in collusion with some US Congressmen to get foreign support so as to
animate the scheme of separatism in Balochistan. In this context, dissidents
like Khan of Kalat Mir Suleman Khan, Hyrbyair Marri, Mehrab Sarjov and others are busy in Europe and
US to project Balochistan issue on international level. For the purpose, these leaders
and especially, Baloch feudal lord, Khan of Kalat planned to take the issue of
Balochistan to International Court of Justice (ICJ) and expected that India
would pay $2.4 million lawyers’ fee to contest their case in ICJ. As Indian
support did not get materialized, these leaders contacted to US officials to forward
their case.
In February 8, 2012, three
Republican Congressmen including Dana Rohrabacher, Louie Gohmert and Steve King
tabled a bill before US Congress stating, “Balochistan is currently divided
between Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan with no sovereign rights of its own. In
Pakistani Balochistan the people are subjected to violence and extrajudicial
killings.” The bill favoured Baloch rights of self-determination, having a
sovereign state—and must be afforded the opportunity to choose their own
status.
Earlier,
the US subcommittee on ‘Oversight and Investigations of the House Committee on
Foreign Affairs’ convened a hearing on extrajudicial killings and violation of
human rights in Baluchistan. Rohrabacher chaired the meeting, while Lt. Col.
(R) Ralph Peters testified. Lt. Col. (R)
Peters is the architect of infamous 2006—New Middle East map and is an advocator
for the disintegration of Muslim states on sectarian and religious lines. His
map shows a number of Islamic countries including Pakistan as truncated. While writing
in the June 2006 issue of The Armed Forces Journal of the US, he had suggested
Washington about the creation of a “Greater Balochistan” which would integrate
the Baloch areas of Pakistan with those of Iran—and the Frontier Province (Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa) should be incorporated into Afghanistan.”
Although
the US Administration quickly distanced itself from Congressional hearing by
Rohrabacher and Peters’ testimony, yet US denial does not augur well with
ground reality, as American think tanks, NGOs and websites go on instigating
the separatist elements in Baluchistan. US State Department which funded
National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and Voice of Baluchistan (VOB) have been
instrumental in fomenting dissension and nationalistic feelings in the
province. It has been pressurizing Pakistan to allow opening of a US consulate
in Quetta. The aim is to execute US covert designs against Islamabad.
It
is mentionable that the Tea Party members in US Congress, especially Dana
Rohrabacher, Louie Gohmert and Steve King are reportedly working to create an
independent Balochistan. Their leaders are angry with Pakistan on the
self-created presumption of sheltering Osama-bin-Laden, and intend to teach a
lesson to Islamabad by assisting the Baloch separatists. These Tea Party
members who currently back the idea of a sovereign Balochistan were in the
forefront of Afghan Jihad against the former Russia. They also held meetings
with dissidents in London.
As
a result of the general elections 2013, the government led by a nationalist
leader Chief
Minister Balochistan Dr Abdul Malik Baloch was established. And on December 7,
2013; local bodies elections were largely held in a peaceful manner in
Balochistan. However,
these elections proved that majority of the Baloch are loyal to the federation,
as they have rejected the case of separatists, being projected by
Dana Rohrabacher including other entities.
Now, the right hour has come that Pakistan’s internal
entities, particularly media must expose the foreign sinister aims against Balochistan.
They must indicate that Baloch dissidents are being supported by external
forces which are actually having devouring eyes on Balochistan’s mineral
deposits. US Congressmen must also not encourage separatist elements in the
province to advance their own agenda to usurp resources of Balochistan. US government
must not muddle in the internal affairs of Pakistan, otherwise it will lead to
dangerous consequences.
Pakistani media, civil society, political parties and
judiciary must realize that Balochistan is being plotted as part of the great
game in which US and its allies plan to fulfil their strategic interests at the
cost of Pakistan and China. Hence, all Pakistanis must get united to negate and
defeat the greedy designs of US, EU and India.
Political instability in Balochistan must come to an
end and present government in Balochistan must be supported by media, civil
society and political parties. Our media must denounce the
intriguing designs of US members of the Tea Party, who are showing their
hypocrisy and double face regarding Balochistan. Media should point out that
these hostile members draw sanctified reference from British colonial era of
the 18the century when a protest in Boston against absurd taxation on Tea
(product) was held by a Tea Party as a measure of raising voice for human
rights. The situation in Balochistan presents an internal issue of Pakistan
which has mainly been addressed by the political leadership.
The issue of mass graves is under
court investigations and official findings are being completed through DNA
testing. Hostile propaganda by BSNs that actual number of bodies found was much
higher than 13, as officially reported, must be countered. Foreign propaganda should
not be allowed to encourage the separatists who are in minority.
Media must also
indicate that besides protecting mega projects, and promoting other
developments works, Pak Army set up a number of institutes in Balochistan,
which have been providing especially technical training to thousands of
Balochis. Pak Army has also been imparting military training to the Baloch
youth. The purpose is to bring the Baloch people in the mainstream of the
country. Particularly, our missions abroad
must counter foreign designs and denounce meetings between Baloch dissidents
and US Congressmen by exposing the connivance of anti-Pakistan forces against
Balochistan.
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