After coming into power the present government had apologised for the excesses against Balochistan. It vowed to solve the problems facing the province politically instead of through force. But today things are not the way as had been promised by the present government.
The military action has intensified in Dera Bugti, Kohlu and Marri. Many outlaws as well as security personnel have been killed in actions that started on July 19, sparking demonstrations.
Baloch Republican Party held protests against the actions in the areas of Dera Bugti and Marri. Last Friday a shutter-down strike was observed in most parts of the province, including Quetta, Khuzdar, Noshki, Dalbandin, Kharan, Chaghi, Sibbi, Bolan, Naseerabad, Turbat and Gwadar districts.
A protest demonstration was also staged outside the Quetta Press Club by the Baloch Khawateen Panel with demonstrators holding placards and banners inscribed with slogans against government policies.
Addressing the demonstrators, Advocate Shakar Bibi said the so-called democratic government, immediately after coming into power, announced that the operation in Balochistan would be stopped and a process of reconciliation started.
She said the government staged a ‘drama’ by apologising to the people of Balochistan and initiating a process of reconciliation, adding that it was still continuing with the policies of its predecessor.
Shakar Bibi said the government had so far failed to fulfill its promises regarding the release of political prisoners as well as missing persons, and stopping operation in the province. She alleged that even today thousands of people were political prisoners, and many were being victimised by the agencies in torture cells.
Last week an All Parties Conference was organised at the Quetta Press Club under the aegis of Balochistan National Party. The conference was attended by National Party, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Jamaat-i-Islami, Awami National Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Hazara Democratic Party, Baloch Students Organisation, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Anjuman-i-Tajaran Balochistan, Zameendaran Action Committee and others.
The conference was presided over by the president of National Party Dr Abdul Hayee Baloch.
In his address, he said operation in Balochistan had been continuing in the province since December 17, 2005.
We were very hopeful with the developments after February 18 but all our hopes have been dashed, he added.
Balochistan National Party’s Sajid Tareen said use of force gave rise to extremism and therefore it should be stopped. He said use of force was no solution to the problem.
Awami National Party’s Arbab Zahir urged the need for equal rights to all units of the federation, and said this was the only way how problems could be solved.
The provincial president of, Pakhtunkwa Milli Awami Party, Usman Khan Kakar said the main reason behind the problems was unequal treatment which had led the entire country towards instability.
He said Pakistan was a multi-ethnic country where everyone had his own identity but these groups were not being given right over their resources, adding that they would continue their struggle for their rights.
BNP’s Habib Jalib Baloch said in the current operation 700 persons had died and 50,000 had been affected. He said various ethnic groups in the country would never get their rights until and unless the role of the military and intelligence agencies was done away with from the politics of the country.
Provincial Ameer of Jamaat-i-Islami Maulana Abdul Haq Hashmi, while expressing his views, said under a pre-planned conspiracy the country was being pushed towards destruction.
He said the ongoing operation in Dera Bugti and Marri was a continuation of the policies of the last five years. He urged Balochistan’s chief minister as well as the governor to play their due role in stopping the operation in the province, releasing political prisoners as well as recovering the missing persons.
A joint declaration was also issued at the end of the All Parties Conference in which it was said that the situation in the province was heading towards further instability. It said the democratic government seemed helpless before President Pervez Musharraf, the military junta, establishment and intelligence agencies.
The declaration condemned the operation in Dera Bugti and its adjoining areas. It flayed the human rights violation, target killing of political leaders and exploitation of resources.
The declaration in strong words condemned the interference of military, the establishment and intelligence agencies in the political affairs of the country. The declaration also flayed the exploitation of resources in Saindak, Reekodik and Dalbandin etc.