THERE have been numerous incidents in Pakistan’s history where innocent people have been singled out and murdered on the basis of their ethnic or confessional identity. The recent spate of killings of people from Punjab in Balochistan has once again brought to light the grim reality of violence and insecurity plaguing the province. The brutal massacre in Noshki, Balochistan, late Friday night is only the latest example of this grim trend.
Armed militants had set up a blockade on the Quetta-Taftan highway, forcing nine passengers off a bus, their bodies later found under a bridge. This heinous act is not an isolated incident. In similar episodes, construction workers from Punjab were massacred in Turbat last October while asleep. Additionally, sectarian terrorists have employed similar methods, mowing down Shia passengers in Mastung in 2011 and on Babusar Top in 2012.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the Noshki atrocity. However, targeting innocent civilians will not garner sympathy for the separatist cause; it only provokes revulsion at the brutality involved. While Balochistan’s grievances are genuine, the struggle for legitimate rights must be peaceful and within the democratic framework. Murdering non-Baloch workers undermines the quest for constitutional rights for all Balochistan’s people. This incident underscores the varied threat militancy poses to the country’s security. Religious groups fuel violence in KP and the north, while Baloch separatists sow insecurity in Balochistan. Left unaddressed, these dangerous campaigns pose a significant national security threat.
The Pakistan’s largest province Balochistan, the state has failed to control militancy despite extensive security measures. The state’s Short-term actions must focus on neutralizing armed actors and severing links with foreign backers. Long-term solutions must address poverty and deprivation to stem support for separatist causes. In the next my column, I will thoroughly discuss the causes and reasons for hate between Punjab and Balochistan. Today’s conclusion is only through a multifaceted approach can Pakistan overcome the deadly grip of militancy and ensure the safety and security of its citizens if the state wants to.
—The writer is journalist and doing research on fake news in South Asia
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