Editorial

Editorial May 2024

What’s behind the Nushki incident?

Injustices often result in societal upheaval, including revolutions, wars, crimes, and mass migration. Unfortunately, in Pakistan, the state machinery has failed to provide its citizens with justice and the necessities expected of a state. As a result, separatist movements have gained momentum, and more and more people are resorting to illegal and legal migration due to their deep frustrations with the current system.

A significant number of people from Punjab every year by human trafficking migrate to European and Gulf countries to seek job opportunities and a better living life, which is denied to them in the country of Pakistan. 

Similarly, a group dejected from the state system was heading to a European country via Balochistan. Reports appeared in the media and social media, hinting they were hailing from various areas of the Punjab. 

It is essential to note the tragic situation in Pakistan. Many people, particularly those from Punjab, are forced to take dangerous journeys to Europe for a better life. 

Unfortunately, on April 20, 2024, a group of individuals on one such journey was stopped near Nushki, a town in Balochistan province. They were taken off from a passenger coach and immediately shot and killed by a separatist organization known as the BLA. 

The BLA claimed that those killed were spy officials for the Pakistani security forces. However, it is common for these officials to disguise themselves to mislead and entrap rebels. In this case, it was difficult for the separatists to differentiate between actual spies and innocent civilians, and independent confirmation of their identities was impossible, given the conditions in the province at the time.

A series of long-lasting deprivations and injustices have created a separation movement in Balochistan. Since the year 2000, an armed insurgency has taken place, which remains unresolved. Instead of addressing the grievances of the estranged Balochs in the province of Balochistan, state officials have resorted to using power, which has led to a deterioration of the situation and further deepened the hostile sentiments on both sides.

There have been reports of thousands of people disappearing in Balochistan, with no information on their whereabouts for years. Additionally, thousands of individuals have been killed and either dumped in isolated areas or buried in mass graves. These actions have fueled feelings of hatred and have prompted some victims to seek revenge.

People who are politically aware in Pakistan do not perceive their future as secure within the current flawed state system. There seems to be no visible source for improvement in such vulnerable situations. However, individuals of various ethnic backgrounds, mainly Punjabi, in collaboration with a section of Baloch, are exploiting the resources of the country, especially those in Balochistan.

A group of people belonging to the privileged class accused the separatist Baloch organizations of racism and violence following the Nushki incident; the victims were Punjabis. However, some wise individuals who do not conform to the state’s narrative and control media exaggerated the news. 

At this juncture, questions should be raised about the functioning of the state. The ruling officials must be held accountable for corruption, and the departments should be instructed to provide justice and necessities to the people.

Why are people leaving Pakistan to go to other countries where there is no army and their economies are stable? These countries treat religion as private and do not mix it with state affairs. No cases of contempt of religion or blasphemy are reported in these countries. 

However, in Pakistan, religious hysteria prevails, and there is no rule of law. The uneven distribution of resources creates plutocrats and aristocrats.

Citizens need to inquire about the reasons behind the emergence of separatist movements in the Balochistan province. When state security organizations fail, citizens may lose trust in them, even though they are responsible for maintaining peace and order. The people of Balochistan are turning to rebel elements instead of trusting security forces.

The faults discussed need to be corrected to improve the current situation. Increasing security measures or deploying more security forces and check posts will make little difference. The root of the problem lies within the state machinery and its ruling section, causing people to migrate from the country at significant risk to their lives. 

The same entities’ misdeeds have led to the birth of a rebellious movement in the province of Balochistan. If these factors can be addressed with honesty and sincerity toward the country, people will stop migrating, and violence will no longer be necessary. 

Further, discussed rectifications will also prevent incidents like the one in Nushki from happening again. It is essential to deal with the root causes instead of just focusing on peripheral reasons under the guise of ultra-patriotism and inflated slogans.

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Balochistan new cabinet with tested actors

After the February 28, 2024 election, no political party in Balochistan could secure a clear majority. As a result, a coalition government was formed. A cabinet was formed after one and a half months, and the ministers were assigned their respective portfolios.

In the new Balochistan cabinet, almost all the politicians have a history of frequently switching parties. Each government tends to blame its predecessor for misuse and mismanagement, while most politicians label their colleagues in other parties as corrupt thieves and looters of national wealth and resources.

Interestingly, none of the political parties in Balochistan took the initiative to hold their predecessor’s politicians and authorities accountable for any wrongdoings. However, after a considerable time of blaming each other, all the parties’ members have come together to form a coalition government. 

Unlike other provinces, Balochistan is expected to have single ruling parties in the assembly, with no opposition. However, this time, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam may play the role of opposition in the provincial assembly.

Throughout multiple political tenures, no tested political figures have been able to bring about any significant change in the province of Balochistan. Instead, their focus is on enjoying perks and incentives. As a result, the overall situation in the province has continuously deteriorated. It is difficult to imagine how experienced politicians can bring about change and comfort in the current setup. In the past, politicians used their tenure to enjoy privileges and incentives before returning to their homes and preparing themselves for another turn. The same pattern is underway by the new sworn regime in Balochistan province. 

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Editorial April 2024

Balochistan saga: Mere repetition of statements

It has been noticed that the new governments in Balochistan are given scripted statements to read. Both before and after taking the oath, the current rulers begin reciting these pre-determined sentences. These statements usually include phrases like “We have put Balochistan on the path of progress” and “We invite

estranged Baloch to join the national mainstream and surrender.”

Despite the claims made on the ground, the objective reality tells a different story. The leaders of Balochistan province had the opportunity to increase the province’s share of the country’s wealth by utilizing minerals and resources such as Reko Diq and Sendak.

However, the province’s share of these resources is relatively small, while the revenue generated from other minerals and resources has not been correctly allocated to Balochistan.

Additionally, the federal government owes money for gas and the usage of Balochistan airspace for international aviation routing, among other things.

The so-called strict provincial leaders do not speak up or demand Balochistan’s rights, even during severe financial crises. Instead, they adopt policies that imply that Balochistan’s residents engage in border trade with neighboring Iran and Afghanistan only for their own survival.

Local people transport Iranian oil and other commodities to earn their living. However, the rulers often restrict this business without providing alternative sources of income for the impoverished people. This displays their excessive patriotism to the establishment, allowing them to gain a foothold and dominate the population.

It has become a common practice in Balochistan to offer pardons for Baloch insurgents. However, it’s essential to understand how and why the estranged people support these pardons. Have the issues of unemployment and corruption been addressed in Balochistan? Have the province’s dues been recovered, and has the spirit of the country’s constitution been applied here? Additionally, have the indigenous people of Balochistan gained control over the province’s coast and resources?

During the past regimes, it has been observed that renunciation ceremonies were held, where people in hundreds, even on several occasions in thousands, laid their weapons before the state authorities. Astonishingly, these massive ceremonies and, in large numbers, peoples’ surrender could not affect the insurgency in Balochistan, but paradoxically, a surge in fatal attacks and destruction of state installations was witnessed. This process and exaggerated reporting about submission before state authorities proved a farce or self-appeasing, but not more than this. Perhaps this newly assumed regime in Balochistan also intends to repeat past practices to fill media vacuums.

On the ground, circumstances make up a harsh and bleak picture that the masses have fed up with this corrupt political system and state machinery. They are no longer amenable to trust in these, and solid evidence of this is the dejection of people in state-conducted elections. Once and after elections, the ratio of turnout decreases gradually. Concerns about the election process, managed results, political setup, and state machinery have recently been raised. The masses have shown alarming disapproval of these issues. Given this context, it is difficult to understand how anyone could believe that rebel groups would trust the politicians offering to negotiate with them.

The insurgency in Balochistan persists due to unresolved issues and exacerbating situations, making void offers and media statements ineffective.

All of the questions raised have been answered negatively, so how will the insurgency in Balochistan end, and will the estranged Baloch community come forward to reconcile in these circumstances?

The first step that needs to be taken is the implementation of fair and honest policies on the ground, which may help mitigate the level of anger.

However, at present, all we see is the repetition of statements without any concrete action. It is essential to put our house in order before making any expectations; otherwise, this game of statements will not lead to fruitful outcomes.

Sadly, the saga of Balochistan will continue until the real power stakeholders take sincere and practical steps to address the underlying issues. 

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Why Chinese are attacked?

A state-capitalist country is an economy where the government controls and operates the entire economy like a massive corporation. In this system, the government extracts surplus value from the workforce and invests it back into the economy for further production. It’s important to note that this applies regardless of the state’s political goals, even if it is nominally socialist.

Scholars debate whether the economies of the Soviet Union, the Eastern Bloc nations, and Maoist China were state-capitalist systems. Some Western commentators believe that the present-day economies of China and Singapore also combine state capitalism and private capitalism.

China is a trapping state with a low economy, where its financial capital is risk-free. Primarily, China invests its capital in those countries where their corrupt regimes rule.

The ruling elite often sells off their entire state’s natural resources and minerals for personal gain. This allows countries like China, which operates under a distorted form of socialism but is essentially capitalist, to take advantage of the inherited resources of impoverished nations.

China’s debt-trap policy has led to acquiring ports, airports, agricultural lands, and other properties from Tajikistan, Sri Lanka, Zambia, and others.

In Pakistan, China has taken control of numerous projects, such as Sendak and Gwadar Deep Sea Port. The Chinese government takes most of the share in these projects and provides a kickback or political bribe to the ruling authorities, effectively bypassing the rightful beneficiaries of the resources and minerals involved.

In certain circumstances, the native population’s opposition toward the Chinese is spontaneous. Following the extraction of vast amounts of resources from Balochistan and other regions of Pakistan, dissenting voices and even violent activities have been observed.

On March 26, 2024, in KPK province’s Shangla district Bisham area, a Chinese convoy was attacked by a suicide bomber. The Chinese engineers’ convoy was traveling from Islamabad to the Dasu Hydro Power Project and was on the way to the mountainous region of Bisham in Shangla when it came under a severe attack. An explosive-laden car was rammed into the vehicle used by the Chinese, and resultantly, five engineers lost their lives.

The Chinese authorities critically criticized their citizen’s killing and demanded a thorough investigation into the incident. They further demanded surety about their citizens’ safety and protection from such fatal incidents.

If China continues to exploit marginalized nations through its state capitalism with the help of compradors and corrupt regimes, it may face the anger of the exploited people. Solving the problem requires more than simply increasing security measures. The real solution is to implement fair, just, and socialist policies that ensure that those entitled to their country’s resources and minerals receive their rightful share of benefits and rights.

When undertaking projects in Balochistan, KPK, and other regions, it is essential to consider the needs and concerns of the local populations. Ignoring their interests can lead to increased opposition and potential violent attacks against Chinese workers. To prevent such incidents from occurring, the Chinese must review their current exploitative policies based on state capitalism.

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Editorial March 2024

Election 2024: Defeat of nationalist parties in Balochistan does not matter

On February 8, 2024, the general election was held in Pakistan for national and provincial assembly seats. The results of recent polls were controversial, causing international bodies like the European Union to raise concerns regarding transparency.

On the day of the election, the internet service was blocked, even though uploading Form-47 was a requirement for submission to the Returning Officer of the Election Commission. The election commission officials caused a suspicious delay in issuing the notification and announcing the result.

It is a common perception that transparent elections are not conducted in Pakistan; instead, the establishment’s preferred candidates are brought into the assemblies at provincial and national levels. The same occurred during the election on February 8, 2024.

As analysts predicted, the Pakistan Peoples Party and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam have won most of the seats in the provincial and national assemblies in Balochistan.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz won considerable seats in various constituencies in Balochistan.

In Pakistan, it is typical for election winners not to be determined by the voters and for the losers not to be defeated by the polls. It is also prevalent for defeated parties to blame rigging for their loss, even though they are aware of the circumstances in which they participate in elections. This has been evident in the past when the same defeated parties were able to secure seats in assemblies through the same election process alleged to be manipulated by the establishment.

Under these circumstances, the election process in Pakistan is a pointless exercise that wastes citizens’ money on polling. Rather than being determined by the voting process, politicians appear to be given positions, including seats in assemblies and the upper house Senate, through some form of manipulation or adjustment.

If we look at the current status quo in Balochistan, Jamiat secured 11 provincial seats, PPP won 11, PML-N won 10, and independent candidates won 6.

The establishment established the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) overnight during the previous elections with a specific purpose. However, it did not perform well, only securing four provincial and no national assembly seats. 

Following this, several members of the BAP, who were no longer active in the party, were directed by a higher power to join the PPP and PML-N parties. As a result of this move, they achieved victory in their respective constituencies.

In Balochistan, nationalist parties such as Balochistan National Party (BNP), National Party (NP), and Pashtun Khuwa Milli Awami Party (PKMP) have lost their support due to accusations of rigging and vote tampering. These parties claim to be nationalists but are seen as compliant with the establishment. The so-called nationalist and federalist parties, such as PPP, BAP, PML-N, and JUI, are viewed as having no fundamental ideological differences.

The country’s constitution is not implemented in Pakistan, and parliamentarians work on directives from the establishment.

If we examine the track record of the Balochistan National Party (BNP), it becomes clear that the party has consistently supported the establishment’s policies. In fact, the BNP has even helped the establishment implement anti-Baloch policies, such as the nuclear tests conducted in Chaghi, Balochistan.

During their time in power, the National Party (NP) led by Dr. Malik Baloch made statements suggesting that they considered the idea of Balochistan gaining independence to be submissive. These statements and actions are well-documented and remembered by the people of Balochistan. 

Following a massive earthquake in Awaran, Chief Minister Dr. Malik Baloch was playing the ‘tug of war’ with military officials instead of aiding the victims.

Interestingly, the parties of BNP and NP explicitly admitted they are totally helpless in releasing enforcedly disappeared Balochs and halting fake encounters and grave human rights violations in Balochistan. During the period of Dr. Malikd Baloch’s government, mass graves were discovered in Tutak Khuzdar, but self-claimed nationalist could not hold a single responsible for this grim crime against humanity. The question arises, how were we free and were seeing freedom everywhere in Balochistan? 

During the National Party government in Balochistan, the Mehmood Khan Achakzai-led PKMP was part of the coalition. However, the party leader appointed his brother to the governor post in Balochistan province, while his other family members were also given significant positions in provincial and federal departments. This led to accusations of nepotism against the party leadership by its workers, ultimately resulting in the party being split.

The people in Balochistan tend to overlook the defeat of nationalist parties for various reasons. Most individuals in the region have lost faith in the parliamentary system of politics due to the system’s inconsistent performance and corrupt practices. As a result, they remain indifferent toward which political party, be it nationalist or federalist, emerges victorious and gets elected into the assemblies. For the ordinary people in Balochistan, it simply does not matter.

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Religious hysteria in Pakistan!

Recently, in Lahore, a woman attired a dress with the calligraphic Arabic word “Halwa,” meaning beautiful or graceful. A mob gathered to lynch the woman for blasphemy or hurting their religious sentiments.

On the occasion, police reached out and provided security to the women wearing the dress with Arabic calligraphy. Otherwise, there could probably be the mob lynching of the woman as many instances exist on minor affairs, and people lost their lives to quench the thirst of the religious hysteria of Pakistanis, but such relevant incidents mainly occurred in the province of Punjab. 

On the occasion, a religious clerk was called to clarify the matter. When asked about interpreting the Arabic script “Halwa,” he could not do so. But he stated irrationally that the inscription font style matches their holy book Quranic writing style, so they have been hurt sentimentally. Does it mean Arabic writings, even vituperative, also hurt Pakistanis due to their resemblance to Islamic holy books language? Really, it is a stupid argument and nothing more than blind religious hysteria! Meanwhile, Islam is a religion of peace, tolerance, and forbearance.  

The gathered radicals and so-called religious scholars have been recorded in videos, which are viral on social media. Through this footage, the security official should sue a case against them and book them. They also, through state laws, penalize them; otherwise, self-revenge and mob lynching will be unbridled cases in Pakistani society. To a great extent, already religious hysteria and non-Islamic actions are prevalent in the country, and these are causing distortion of the peaceful and beautiful religion of Islam.

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Editorial February 2024

State-based atrocities on Balochs!

During the “Great Game,” which was a strategy by the British and other Western capitalist countries to prevent the socialist Soviet Union from expanding its power, the Baloch land was divided into three countries: Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. Brishers did Baloch land’s division because the Baloch people had a moderate and socialist outlook. Historically, the Baloch nation has always believed in truth, equality, and tolerance, which align more with humanism or socialism.

After leaving the Indian subcontinent, the British Empire and its capitalist allies established a controlled state system. They intentionally used the resources and mercenaries of these states to deter the advancement of the Soviet Union in the region. This strategy led to an accumulation of jihadists in Pakistan. Additionally, Pakistan’s military is greatly influenced by its capitalist allies.

The Iranian and Pakistani governments are exploiting the resources and mineral-rich land of Balochistan without the consent of the indigenous Baloch people on both sides of the border, known as the Gold Smith Line. This series of injustices with Balochs has led to a long history of rebellion in the region, with many people taking up arms to fight for their right to their motherland’s resources.

The insurgency has gained significant support in the eastern part of Balochistan, which Pakistan administers. In this region, a war is underway against state-based injustices on nationalistic grounds.

Meanwhile, some imperialistic powers in the guise of theocratic regimes have been trying to empower and organize religious militants for their own economic benefits and political clout.

Pakistan and Iran are both concerned about the rise of Baloch nationalism and are determined to suppress it.

However, they refuse to relinquish control over the region’s resources and grant rights to the Baloch people. In 1973, the two states collaborated to conduct military operations against Baloch insurgents.

Today, both regimes are once again determined to crush the deep-rooted Baloch nationalism using military force. However, they disagree on the issue of granting status and control of resources to the Baloch people.

Iran and Pakistan have been involved in a series of air attacks and missile strikes on each other’s territories. The targets were Baloch civilians near their volatile 900km-long border, with each country claiming that their actions were meant to ensure national security. Although both sides carried out these attacks, they did so with mutual approval, cooperation, and facilitation, and no aggression was seen at the state level.

Iran’s radical Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeted a mud-bricked house in Panjgur town of Pakistan’s Balochistan province late on January 16, 2024, prompting Pakistan to bomb Baloch displaced civilians in the Sistan-Baluchestan province of Iran early on January 18, 2024.

On both sides of the border, the victims are innocent Baloch children and women. The indigent Baloch residents were inhabitants of mud-built shanties. Each side’s state forces did not hit weaponry officials, but the targets were innocent and armless Baloch villagers. Here, it looks like the Pakistani and Iranian militaries tested their weapons on Baloch civilians.

The military skirmishes frequently reoccur on the eastern border with India or Pakistan or the Line of Control, resulting in casualties on both sides.

However, on the western border with Iran, the situation was different. The military forces remained calm and indifferent, but Iranian and Pakistani security forces targeted Baloch civilians with missiles, drones, and modern weapons. Unfortunately, neither side’s military intercepted these attacks.

In these settings, it clues that Pakistan and Iran, by their consent and facilitation, carried out attacks on Baloch civilians on both sides of the border. It shows that both countries intend to crush Baloch nationalism on the trajectory of ethnic genocide. On the country’s level, no escalation seems typical of all diplomatic and trade relations. In Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, no worries are sniffed; similarly, in the Iranian capital, Tehran, authorities and citizens are unfazed.

The profound analysts declared the said attacks planned, and they likened these to the series of state-based atrocities on Baloch ethnic or their genocide.

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Balochistan government official hides the sun behind the finger!

It is common for Pakistani government officials to deny any wrongdoing while the media relays their false statements without proper investigation. Other state departments also lack honesty and truthfulness in their work. As a result, the Pakistani government, media, and departments have lost credibility on the international level.

In the meantime, various international organizations are working to fulfill their responsibilities while strictly adhering to their principles and guidelines. Amnesty International is one such organization that keeps a close watch on human rights practices across the globe. The reports and statements compiled by this organization are widely recognized and respected for their valuable insights and recommendations for reforms.

Days back, a Long March led by Baloch females entered Islamabad for their demands to state authorities and the Supreme Court of Pakistan. At that time, the Islamabad police manhandled Baloch women, children, and elderly persons. The scenes of baton charges, arbitrary arrest of protestors, use of water canon in chilling weather of Islamabad, and other violent incidents were recorded by the cameras in this age of smartphones and social media.

Furthermore, the disrespectful conduct of police and security officials toward Baloch protestors who established a protest was widely documented on social media.

Additionally, various organizations, such as Amnesty International officials, reported incidents of mistreatment by state authorities and security officials toward Baloch protestors.

After conducting a thorough analysis and investigation, Amnesty International released an impartial and transparent report about the Baloch protestors. The report harshly criticized the Pakistani government, particularly security officials, for their inhumane practices.

After the report released by Amnesty International, the information minister of the Balochistan government, Jan Mohd Achakzai, blatantly denied the contents of the testimony. Instead of taking steps to reform the system, correct errors, and express remorse for the wrongs committed by officials, he denied the allegations.

Although the world witnessed state officials’ misdeeds, Jan Achakzai denied all allegations. He advised Amnesty International, a prestigious human rights organization, on factual reporting and documentation. This suggests a lack of awareness or competence in the international organization’s work area. Therefore, someone like Jan Achakzai can provide valuable advice and guidelines to Amnesty International.

Jan Achakzai had criticized Amnesty International for interfering in Pakistan’s internal affairs. It seems unusual that Pakistan, a signatory of various United Nations conventions, including the Charter of Human Rights, is expressing concerns about Amnesty International’s operations within the country.

It is known that when it comes to complying with the standards set by the international organizations for justice and equality, the Pakistani state official turns presumptuous and preferential.

The statement made by the Balochistan government information minister, Jan Achakzai, in response to the Amnesty International report on Baloch protestors in Islamabad, is an attempt to deny the truth or proverbially hide the sun behind the finger.

The government of Balochistan, along with other state authorities, must acknowledge the reality and take action to deliver justice to the Baloch people who are facing injustices due to the flawed state system. They should avoid relying on false information and statements and instead work toward a fair resolution of contentions.