Balochistan killing

The phenomenon of "Balochistan Killing" goes back to the days of Ayub Era in 1958, when some sardars unveiled their ancestral right to own their "writ" in the area. Some localised uprisings occurred and were quelled without wide publicity. No body remembers a rebellion of Mengal Tribe in February - April 1964 when the locals killed 10 policemen protecting the road-making project of the Balochistan government in the area of Kalat, Sorab and Khuzdar. One Infantry Brigade plus was dispatched from Quetta. It disarmed the entire rebel force in two months. The men were jailed and their antique weapons were deposited in Kalat Armoury. The incident was backed by Russia in its pursuit of seeking approach to warm waters through the deserted and impoverished expanse of Balochistan. The peace followed for some time. In 1970s Marris and Bugtis raised their heads and consequently Balochistan was under the army. In 1976, there were 17 Infantry units - out of which 15 were the Baloch Regiments. The rebels this time again were trained in USSR on the asking of an inebriated India, sequel to fall of Dacca; the target was again the same - access to warm waters. In 1979, USSR physically attacked Afghanistan in an impatient move to secure its all time aim. In 1989, Russia chose to go for an honourable exit and left Afghanistan to US and Taliban. US also moved out to leave the poor country in chaos - in the gloves of the Taliban. The present situation is before us. US is no more capable to control Afghanistan. Yet Mark it that Russia though disintegrated in 90s, is thinking of coming back to its old hunch of warm waters. Russia still hates NATO as the latter had joined hands in the break-up of the Soviet Union. Russia still feels the aura of Czar Imperialism. Its vast landmass and lost status of leadership in high technology is not beyond recapitulation. Its dream of revival as a 'superpower' has renewed the desire of Russians to regain its past glory. Now, Georgia's NATO bid is irking Russia. India has been fighting the proxy war for Russia during last many years of the new millennium. Afghanistan and its ruler Karzai also appear to keep US at arm's length. US will lose nothing if Pakistan hits a rock and Afghanistan falls in the hands of wrong people. The policy of handing over the reins of Afghanistan and Pakistan to Russia and India in the long run is looming large in the seminars of the western study groups. Yet our leadership sitting in the corridors of powers or in the waiting galleries are busy in the break-up of our only home built so laboriously by our Quaid-i-Azam. Our leaders are working towards cutting it into pieces, rather in personal fiefdoms in the province of Balochistan. Coming back to Balochistan, its children are enthusiastically working to live aloof by eliminating other provinces' colleagues serving it with affable brotherhood. They who are serving the impoverished soil with devotion are being target killed so that the piece of land called Balochistan derogates to primitive era because some people do not want to be enlightened with new knowledge and development. They want to preserve the area as the nature gave them long ago, while the world has accepted "democratic" system, elsewhere. Balochistan is tied with a Sardari System which gives rise to divided loyalties within a province, not to speak of its unity at national level. The tendency of Balochistan not to mesh with the people of other provinces is a step to stay away and keep others too. Their voice of full autonomy is also a by-product of not merging as a nation. The killing of Punjabi educationalists is part of the same myth. Russia has its eyes on Balochistan for warm waters and India wants to achieve its avowed agenda by breaking Pakistan into pieces. Our Balochi brothers cannot live as a separate entity. They can live only when fully merged as a part of the nation. The writer is a retired brigadier

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