FEELING that they have been left in the cold, the people of Balochistan have stood up to defend their rights. It should be a matter of shame for the leadership that has done very little to address their grievances. Angered by this indifference, members of civil society from the province and elsewhere, launched Balochistan Solidarity Campaign on Friday to highlight their grievances. The Baloch disenchantment should be taken seriously. While the hardliners have resorted to attacking government installations, the patience of the man on the street is wearing thin. It is a pity that no lessons have been learnt from history. One had wished that the dreadful example of East Pakistan and the consequent soul-searching would be kept in mind. Far from that, we see that the federal government is committing the same errors. The establishment has been given a carte blanche to suppress voices of dissent. What is worse, it has succumbed to the Western demand for a military offensive in the province. According to The Times, Britain would be building a huge training camp in Balochistan run by British and US military personnel who would help the Frontier Corps in counterinsurgency operations. Nothing could be more unfortunate than Islamabads propensity to view the province through a Western perspective. Such designs would add insult to the injury of the Baloch. After failing to follow up on his words with definite moves, President Zardari is all ears to the voices calling for the use of force. Of what use is his apology if the real intention was to hoodwink the public. The real issues nabbing Akbar Bugtis killers, granting provincial autonomy, and right amount of finances remain in cold storage. Political parties and the government need to realise the seriousness of the crisis. They ought to venture out of the federal capital away from their luxurious lifestyle and witness at first hand the plight of the people. This could be a good beginning.