Apology in Balochistan

The apology made by the Pakistan Peoples Party on behalf of all Pakistani people to the people of Balochistan marks an important break with the past. In the first place, the strongly-worded resolution makes no bones about conceding that “atrocities and injustices” have been committed and as such, by accepting wrong, provides some hope that a new relationship with Pakistan’s largest, but most sparsely populated, province can indeed be built. Till now, the insistence from the centre that armed action in Balochistan is directed against “miscreants” or those who “threaten national security” has acted only to fuel deeper anger and distance from what is perceived as a Punjabi-dominated establishment. Indeed, even while unrest and armed conflict persists in parts of Balochistan, a huge effort — involving media suppression — has been used to portray a false image of calm.

Of course, in the days ahead, the PPP will need to deliver on its pledge of embarking on a new road to peace in Balochistan. One hopes that for this purpose the leaders of the party are genuinely committed to what will inevitably be a slow process … Mistrust and apprehensions created over decades of animosity and aggravated by recent acts that include the murder of leaders such as Nawab Akbar Bugti and Balaach Marri, cannot vanish in days, weeks or even months…

In this respect, it is obvious the policies of the past have failed…until people are given a genuine say in what kind of change and progress they want in their province, there will be little improvement… It is essential that benefits from these are offered to Balochistan’s people and their rights considered ahead of tribal chiefs, who despite being linked closely to the Baloch nationalist cause are in many cases the worst oppressors of their people.

From an editorial in ‘The News’, Karachi