Baloch Struggle for Independence, provides an opportunity to fight Pakistan and Iran sponsored terrorism
If there ever was doubt in any one's mind regarding Pakistan army's role in promoting terrorism, it should be clear now. There are many many safe heavens like the one where Bin Ladin was found, being run by Pakistan's ISI especially in Quetta and other pashtoon areas of Balochistan.
Baloch nation has been protesting since ever that Pakistan's army is not interested in fighting the likes of Bin Ladin and Mulla Omar because ISI considers them important strategic assets and all funds provided to Pakistan military are being used to conduct a systematic genocide of liberal Baloch people who are fighting for the independence of their homeland from Pakistan and Iran.
Baloch nation can play a pivotal role in detection and eradication of ISI's safe houses in Balochistan where Talibans leaders from Afghanistan are being protected. But organizations like BLA,BLF and BRA need surveillance equipment and resources to launch an effective campaign against ISI presence in their homeland. These organizations are currently doing the same but their efforts can not match the resourcefulness of Pakistan's army at present.
Building the capacity of Baloch national entities to fight against Talibanization and ISI presence in Balochistan could prove to be an effective strategic decision to fight Talibans not just in Afghanistan but actually across the border.
Labels: Balach Marri, Brahumdagh Bugti, Dr Allah Nazar Baloch, Harbiyar Marri, Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, Nawab Khair Bakhash Marri
posted by Baloch @ 4:47 PM
5 Comments
5 Comments:
Interesting.
The situation in Balochistan should concern the world no less than the situation in Libya or Côte d'Ivoire. But, in those places, there is stuff happening behind the scenes. Balochistan is different. We think we need Pakistan in the fight against terrorism, when the reality is that the ISI and certain elements in Pakistan are a big part of the problem. Of course, with bin Laden dead, will we continue to think we need Pakistan's help?
Here, though, you pose this as advantageous to the West to help stabilize Afghanistan by supporting Balochistan against Pakistan. That is an interesting spin.
The reality is that, if we got involved in Balochistan with that motive, the motive would be hidden, and Balochistan would ultimately be worse off than it is now.
What needs to happen is to have one set of rules that is applied everywhere - Washington and Islamabad, London and Beijing. America needs to live up to the ideals we have championed, and then we need to make clear to Pakistan that Islamabad tries to live up to those ideals, or Islamabad loses US support.
If the Baloch people are looking for a quid pro quo arrangment, they should look to New Dehli. If Islamabad continues to sponsor jihad in Kashmir, then New Dehli should support the Baloch people against Islamabad.
I wonder, though: how would that go over in Balochistan?
Many thanks for the wonderful analysis, there are some histotrical facts that should be taken into account
1- Baloch have been fighting against Talibans for a very long time and for their own reasons, Baloch freedom fighters that moved to Afghanistan during military operation in 1970 were forced out by Talibans.
2-To turn Baloch nation into a minority on their own homeland Pakistan brought in millions of refugees to Balochistan. Now they are being organized into Taliban or God knows what other name ISI may give them tomorrow.
3- In Iranian Balochistan, Baloch nation is fighting Mulla's and Iranian fascist government for their basic human rights and independence of their homeland.
Now if you look at all this and from a strategic policy perspective, I believe supporting Baloch freedom struggle is a prudent choice. Because no matter how much international community pressures ISI secretly its going to continue supporting Talibans. And no matter how badly Pakistna army keeps crushing Baloch political activists the movement is not going to stop. Peoples desire for better future, for freedom can't be supressed for forever.
Therefor, I believe its in best interests of Both parties (Baloch and International Community) to work on a joint initiative at least in so far as ISI and Talibans are concerned.
But, here we run into some problems.
1) Supporting independence for the Baloch people, against the wishes of the rest of Pakistan and Iran, opens up the Pandora's box of redrawing international boundaries.
This may not seem so bad, as international boundaries in South Asia, like in much of Africa, were drawn with regards to the interests of colonial powers, not the interests of the indigenous people.
But, this will cause problems for China (Xinjiang, Tibet, Taiwan) and Russia (places too numerous to name).
However:
2) We have already arbitrarily redrawn boundaries in Europe. The US government, and the European governments, supported the establishment of a mafia state in Kosovo. That mafia state may be evolving, but it is rooted in organized crime, and money from Kosovo's organized crime gets laundered into the political campaign coffers of American politicians.
In Côte d'Ivoire, the West, led by France and the UN, imposed a neo-colonial government of immigrants on the country, in violation of Ivoirian law; the reasons were the same.
The bottom line is that the people in power do what is best for the people in power; they justify their actions one way in one set of circumstances, and another way in another.
However, those of us who want justice know that justice must come with wisdom; otherwise, the cure is worse than the disease.
Right now, the only way I see an independent Balochistan would be if it were a narco-state buying off western politicians, and if it sold itself out to the Chinese, guaranteeing access to port facilities in Gwadar. And, in that case, the access to Gwadar would have to have an overland connection that the Chinese army and air force could defend against the US or Russia. This would be an example of a cure worse than the disease.
I think you're right on one point, for sure; if the Taliban suddenly went away, the ISI would pull some other rabbit out of their hat.
Frankly, there is a problem in Islamabad that the world needs to address. Once that problem is addressed, everyone, including the Baloch people in Pakistan, will be much safer.
Thank you for bringing the ugly truth on what has transpired in Baluchistan since the 70s under Bhutto.
The "abbottabad discovery" only serves to reinforce what a rogue state pakistan is. They protect OBL (Arabs) while murdering Nawab Bugti (an 89 year old man in cold blood) in 2006. The fact is clear: the Paks (read: punjabis and muhajirs)have made the Baluchis and the Pushtuns their scapegoats. It will be the end of this land of the pure." Please see a recent opinion piece that talks about Pak complicity and Bugti's murder.
http://www.atlantic-community.org/index/articles/view/Pakistani_Complicity_in_Bin_Laden%27s_Hiding
V/R
Wana88
Thanks for comment,bringing up ugly truth regarding the human rights violations by Pakistan army in Balochistan is the main objective of this blog.
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