|
Baloch on boil
07-04-2006, Editorial News Today
Balochistan has become restive as never
before. Explosions on gas pipelines and rail tracks have become common.
Around 100 civilians along with dozens of security forces have been killed
in recent months. Gen Musharraf is challenged not only on the Afghan border
but in this remote province of his country. Civil unrest on the border with
Pakistan in Afghanistan and Al Qaeda attacks in Waziristan got Islamabad to
use American assistance in the form of sophisticated military equipment
which came as part of the quid pro quo for fighting America's war against
global terrorism. This alliance to curb insurgency is resented by the
fundamentalist outfits in Pakistan. They have, over recent months, carried
on a propaganda which lays stress on their contention that there has been a
sell out of the country's interests to the US merely for strengthening the
General's hold on the throne. Pointed reference is made to the possibility
that Musharraf would not cast away his uniform because he needs the support
of the Army to meet the challenge of fundamentalists. The uniform is hanging
on him for already two years after the date promised for giving it up.
The Army has in it a core of fundamentalistic hawks, some of whom the
General cannot afford to displease. He manoeuvres by replacing some of those
with lesser clout by his nominees. This has caused considerable disaffection
contrary to the expectations of Musharraf. The US has begun saying that he
is not as serious as he should be in putting down terrorism and has also
said that Pakistan's record on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons is far
too poor when compared with that of India. The latter has come for some
praise for guarding against leakage of nuclear equipment and know-how. The
General is in no position to improve the record as it would widen and
intensify his estrangement with Islamic extremist organisations. This is an
area where the attempt to run with the hare and hunt with the hound has
become a flop.
Against this backdrop, the unrest in Balochistan has caused greater
complications. The rebels here differ from Taliban in that they are fighting
for their long-denied rights. They are an ethnically different people as
contrasted with Pakistanis and Taliban. They speak a language which is close
to Persian with a Sufi stress. They seek self rule and a share in the
revenues from oil which is abundant in their region. They are agitated over
the deliberate neglect of development tasks and the manoeuvres to monopolise
their natural wealth. This is not a happy ethos for the passage of the
Iran-Pakistan-Indian pipeline through this territory. Of course, Islamabad
plays its usual ruse accusing India's RAW of provoking Balochi rebels.
Source: NewsTodayNet
|