Warlike situation prevails in Balochistan, says Balochi Leader

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Quetta: A near warlike situation prevails in Pakistan’s largest province of Balochistan, claims the chief of the Balochistan National Alliance (BNA), Yousuf Naskandi.

Interacting with media persons in Karachi, Naskandi said Balochistan was passing through a “very dangerous time”, and added that if “this third war of the Baloch nation with Pakistan continues, the fate of the province could be sealed forever.”
While hoping that Balochistan remains a part of Pakistan, he said that the Baloch people who were nationalists, were under severe strain and may be forced to consider it if the present situation continues.

Naskandi said that he was surprised over the federal government’s reluctance to take strong action against insurgents, who were “ blocking link roads between Karachi and Quetta, resulting in businessmen being affected badly.”

Meanwhile, other Baloch leaders and analysts have claimed that Pakistani paratroopers deployed across sensitive parts of the province, have suffered undisclosed, but heavy casualties while confronting the insurgents and Baloch nationalist groups.

During the past few weeks, the situation in Quetta and in other parts of Balochistan has remained tense, and a key factor for this, has been the federal government’s domineering behaviour with Baloch leaders and its handling of matters concerning the province.

Last Wednesday, for instance, Karachi’s law enforcement personnel and intelligence units abruptly ended a daylong siege of the Clifton area residence of Sardar Akhtar Mengal, the chief of the Balochistan Nationalist Party (BNP), with the arrest of two of Mengal’s guards and his driver.

BNP leader, Senator Sanaullah Baloch told media persons over the phone that all roads of Balochistan have been closed and confirmed that the BNP will continue with its protests against the Musharraf regime till their demand for provincial autonomy is not met.
According to Mengal and other Baloch leaders, their struggle is against the alleged usurpation of Baloch land by the “Punjab-dominated” Pakistan Army, and the federal government’s desire “to exploit the natural resources of Balochistan”.

“The struggle will continue till we get freedom, and we will not backtrack from our armed struggle till an announcement of the formation of the Balochistan State is made, or alternatively, till the United Nations does not accept the Baloch nation as an autonomous nation,” said Dr. Imdad Baloch, the president of the Balochistan Students’ Organisation (BSO).

There is no doubt that the Musharraf-backed federal government is on the defensive, and this can be judged by the street power exhibited by the Baloch people over the last week, especially by the BNP. For instance, five days ago, over eight thousand BNP supporters attended a rally addressed by Mengal, and shouted anti-government and anti-Punjab establishment slogans.

The Baloch has woken up and is ready to join hands with anybody supporting their cause for autonomy.