The action launched by paramilitary forces to punish the miscreants, who had lobbed rockets at Kohlu, Balochistan, while the President was on a tour of the area last month seems, as apprehended, to be spreading out. The situation has led ARD and PONAM leaders to stage protest before the Parliament House on Monday and allege the ’carpet bombing’ of Kohlu and spread of ’military action’ to the Bugti area. Contradictory reports about events in the Loti area have emanated from the Jamhoori Watan Party and government. The former maintains that the security forces attacked tribesmen near the Loti gas fields but were repulsed, while the latter charges tribesmen with throwing rockets from two sides with a view to taking control of the gas fields. Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan categorically denied the rumour that the security forces had used napalm bombs and poisonous gases during the operation.
Whatever the actual provocation of the clashes, it is indicative of a dangerous development and had better be handled through political means rather than having recourse to arms. One should have expected the government not to add another front when it was facing opposition on other vital issues like, for instance, the Kalabagh Dam. The loss of valuable lives in Balochistan, exchange of accusations and the ensuing tension would have been avoided, if it had engaged political forces in the province to settle the matter amicably. The people in the province have long-standing grievances of neglect and unjust treatment. The mega projects costing billions that the government has initiated there would only have their impact on the people’s response when their benefits start reaching them. They have had a despairing experience symbolised by the Gwadar land scam that actually had an opposite effect.
But the scenario does not provide any justification whatsoever for New Delhi to poke its nose in our affairs and has been rightly advised "to mind their own business" by the Foreign Office spokesman. Islamabad’s best efforts to develop a climate of trust between the two countries by acceding to its demands about CBMs should have prompted it to respond gracefully. Instead, it is adopting old dirty tactics of inciting trouble in our country, which must be condemned unreservedly.
http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/jan-2006/4/editorials3.php |
