FAISALABAD - The prevailing situation in Balochistan is more dangerous and serious than was the one in East Pakistan when it had ceded from what was once the biggest Islamic state in the world, and a military solution to the troubled province may lead to the emergence of another Bangladesh, says a former military official who was commander at various fronts in East Pakistan at the time of the Fall of Dhaka in 1971.
Maj (retd) Nadir Pervaiz Khan said in an interview to Nawa-i-Waqt that elections would not be possible in Balochistan unless the situation was set right. He underlined the need for political reconciliation.
Referring to the responsibilities of the political parties at the time of elections, he said they should stop kicking out patriotic elements from their ranks to award tickets to corrupt people. “Democracy should not be commercialised”.
In the interview, he explained the situation that had led to the dismemberment of the Islamic republic. In his opinion, the military operation launched in East Pakistan was totally uncalled for.
Maj Nadir dismissed charges that the Pakistani soldiers had been involved in raping women in the then East Pakistan.
He said it was a baseless Indian propaganda which political leaders and parties failed to counter.
According to him, the army was left alone by the political leadership because of their mala fide intentions.