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THE Balochistan crisis is now casting its ominous shadow on other provinces as indecision continues to characterise Islamabad. Protest rallies have been held and fairly effective shutdowns observed in Sindh, and the press and politicians in Punjab have strongly called on Islamabad to urgently resolve the grievances of Balochistan and bring to book the culprits in Dr Shazia rape case regardless of their background.
On Thursday, opposition senators, both from the opposition and treasury benches, lashed out at the federal governmentâ?Ts handling of the situation, demanding greater provincial autonomy and warning against military action. Striking examples of the gross neglect and repression to which the province has been subjected were presented before the House and justice demanded.
Baloch members of the Senate sub-committee on constitutional amendments have continued to boycott its meetings in protest against the deployment of troops in Sui and Dera Bugti, and the failure to take action against the main accused in the Sui rape case. Another Senate sub-committee has sent its report to the government recommending action against the PPL administration for attempts to hide the facts in order to suppress the case.
The statement by Dr Shazia issued to a private TV channel corroborates this, while pointing out that the delay in action is a part of the attempt to hush up the affair. Women activists in Quetta have meanwhile taken out a demonstration demanding immediate action against the culprits. All these developments have however failed to open the eyes of those who matter in Islamabad.
Despite having been discussed with Mr. Aziz, the Shujaat committeeâ?Ts recommendations remain a guarded secret and the emissaries headed by the PML chief seem to have been stopped by unseen hands from continuing their firefighting mission. The inadvisable act of dispatching a squadron of PAF jet fighters to Shahbaz airbase and the reports about threatening combat air patrols over Sui and Dera Bugti merely add fuel to the fire.
The protests have taken a new dimension not very prominent during the four earlier Balochi confrontations with the centre. Violence is rocking urban centres also. Quetta and Gwadar have been subjected to bomb and rocket attacks. On Thursday alone there were six bomb blasts in Balochistan, the railway track was targeted near Mastung and another stretch of railway line was blown up near Dera Ghazi Khan, indicating that the Punjab is not out of the reach of those perpetrating violence.
Targeting government installations and key communication, power and transport facilities causes national loss and can only be strongly condemned. At the same time the government needs to understand that flexing military muscle has the potential to open still another front, between the army and the Baloch tribes, which has to be avoided at all costs. It is all the more pitiable that this is needless.
What is required under the circumstances is to withdraw jet fighters from Shahbaz base and troops from Sui and Dera Bugti where there is no sign of trouble, activate the Shujaat committee, and find a peaceful solution to the Balochistan crisis.
http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/feb-2005/5/editorials1.php | 
