By
Sajjad Shaukat
Although
various Baloch separatist leaders of the Balochistan province are still
opposing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), yet case of Nawabzada
Brahamdagh Bugti, the leader of the outlawed Baloch Republican Party (BRP) is
of special consideration which exposes foreign designs of external powers
against Pakistan. In this respect, Brahamdagh Bugti, in a recently-held
conference in Frankfurt, organized by the German Chapter of the BRP highlighted
human rights situation in Balochistan. He criticized the CPEC and Gwadar port
projects and called for a UN-sponsored referendum in Balochistan to decide its
future. He alleged the military equipments and funds obtained by Pakistan from
the US and other western countries for combating terrorists and extremist
groups were also being used against the democratic and political struggle of
the Baloch people. With the assistance of anti-Pakistan foreign entities, BRP
held the conference. Besides Baloch Republican Party leaders, human rights
activists, politicians and businessmen from the European countries participated
in the conference in order to endorse the ill-conceived stand of Brahamdagh
Bugti about Balochistan, as part of propaganda.
It
is not new attempt to malign Pakistan in relation to Baluchistan, such sort of
conferences and meetings also held in the past in Geneva, London and the US. In
this regard, the US Congress Committee on Foreign Affairs had convened
unprecedented hearing on February 8, 2012 and negatively, discussed
Balochistan. The Committee’s hearing was attended by the supporters of Baloch
separatism and American scholars including human rights activists. It was
chaired by Dana Rohrabacher who said, “Balochistan is a turbulent land marred
by human rights violations”, requiring urgent attention. Rohrabacher had also
co-authored an article with Congressman Louie Gohmert, and favoured an
independent Balochistan. However, Nawabzada Brahamdagh Bugti who is now living
in Europe in self-imposed exile has full backing of some external secret
agencies, especially Indian RAW in misguiding the innocent In fact, entrenched
in Afghanistan, foreign intelligence agencies like American CIA, Indian RAW and
Israeli Mossad have perennially been supporting bomb blasts, suicide attacks, abductions,
target killings, ethnic and sectarian violence in Balochistan through their
affiliated militant groups such as BRP, Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), Jundollah
(God’s soldiers) etc. to fulfill the secret strategic designs of US, India and
Israel at the cost of Pakistan, China and Iran.
Besides
martyring several personnel of law-enforcing agencies and security forces in
the province, these anti-Pakistan entities kidnapped and massacred many
Punjabis, Pushtuns, Shias, people of Hazara community and patriot Balochis
including Iranian Shias. In the past few years, they abducted and killed many
Chinese and Iranian nationals in Pakistan. On a number of occasions, these
militant outfits claimed responsibility for their subversive acts. But, they
have always blamed Pak Army and other security agencies for human rights
violations in Balochistan. It is notable that the ink on Pak-China agreements
related to CPEC was barely dry when some western media, especially RAW started
playing up the Baloch insurgency. In this regard, the director of The Second
Floor (T2F), a social activist Sabeen Mahmud was shot dead by unidentified
gunmen in Karachi on April 24, 2015, followed by a bomb blast in Sibi, which killed
several persons on April 26. However, she had left T2F after attending the
session on Balochistan province, when she was targeted. She was likely to
conduct a seminar at LUMS in Lahore about Balochistan. Earlier, on April 11,
gunmen killed 20 laborers at a dam construction site in the Turbat district of
Baluchistan. On May 29, 2015, 20 people were killed when unknown militants
opened fire at the kidnapped passengers in Mastung area of Balochistan—after abduction
of two buses. Particularly, on May 13, 45 people were killed when gunmen
brutally opened fire on a bus of the Ismaili community in Karachi. Ahmed
Marwat, a spokesman of Jundullah which is the affiliated group of the
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)—backed by RAW claimed responsibility for the
bus attack.
These
terror attacks which continue in some way or the other are aimed at sabotaging
the CPEC by showing that if Pakistan government is not able to provide security
to its citizens, how it can Similarly, RAW was behind the assassination of
Sabeen Mahmud-a well thought-out plan not only to try to harm Pak-China CPEC
project, but also to accuse Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Another aim was also to drive a wedge between Balochistan and rest of It is
mentionable that on July 23, 2008, Brahmdagh Bugti told the BBC that they had
the right to accept foreign aid and arms from anywhere including India. It is
worth-mentioning that with the help of Baloch nationalist leaders who have
taken refuge in western countries; these hostile entities are launching false
campaign to distort the image of Islamabad and its security agencies. Whereas
Pak Army has not only been successful in uprooting the anti-state elements, but
also contributed a lot in socio-economic development of Balochistan. While
protecting mega projects, and promoting other developments works, Army set up a
number of institutes in Balochistan, which have been providing especially
technical training to thousands of Balochis. Army has also been imparting
military training to the Baloch youth. The purpose is to bring them in the Baloch
people know that the feudal lords (Sardars) like Brahmdagh Bugti who have been fighting
for their own so-called status, prestige and influence, do not want to give up
the old system of feudalism. They are now well-aware that with the assistance
of US-led India and Israel, these anti-Pakistan elements are inciting them for
independence of the province.
It
is noteworthy that a Gallup survey of the UK official body, DFID, conducted on
July 20, 2012 had disclosed that the vast majority of the Baloch people oppose
the idea of an independent While, 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. The successful elections
have greatly negated the cause of terrorist groups who always claim to enjoy
the majority support. These elections also proved that majority of the Baloch are
loyal to the federation, as they have rejected the case of separatists, being
projected by India and other major countries. Now, a majority of the Baloch
persons has understood that Balochistan’s mineral resources and geo-strategic
location with deep Gwadar seaport which would connect rest of the world with Central
Asia have further annoyed the US and India. In this connection, Pak-China CPEC
project is to be economic game changer in whole the region, which is badly hit
by below average living conditions, while people of Balochistan would be the
main beneficiaries of the project. Two decades down the timeline, Gwadar would
be a thriving metropolitan providing economic opportunities to the youth of
Balochistan.
And,
with the inception of new political governments both at the center and the
province, a meaningful negotiation with all the armed groups have been
initiated by a high level reconciliation and negotiation committee, comprising
seasoned Baloch, Pashtoon and Sindhi leaders
to initiate dialogue with Baloch separatists. The government of Balochistan has
also announced general pardon and protection to the Baloch militants. Hence,
many insurgents have surrendered their arms and decided to work for the
development of Pakistan. But, it is regrettable that on the instruction of some
western countries, particularly, New Delhi, leader of the BRP, Nawabzada
Brahamdagh Bugti who continues to deny such an offer is misguiding the Baloch
against the federation of Pakistan by opposing the CPEC.
Sajjad
Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs
Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International
Relations
Email:
sajjad_logic@yahoo.com
No comments:
Post a Comment