Executive Summary:

In his address to the nation in connection with the celebration of 65^th Independence Day of Pakistan on August 14, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani announced that the government had decided to release all political prisoners in Balochistan. He added that in the light of 39 points listed in the Aghaz-i- Haqooq-i- Balochistan Package, major changes would be brought about in constitutional, political, administrative and economic matters of the province.

The prime minister expressed his readiness to visit and meet all angry Baloch leaders as part of reconciliation policy of the government, and to bring the dissident elements back into the political fold.

Provincial assembly in Balochistan on August 19 adopted the Balochistan Police Act 2011, granting more powers to district magistrates in regulating police service in the province.

As many as 10 mutilated bodies, including leaders of Balochistan National Party (BNP), Baloch National Movement (BNM), Baloch Republican Party (BNP) and activists of Baloch Student Organisation-Azad, were recovered from different parts of the province.

As part of ongoing sabotage and subversion campaign in the province, a gas pipeline of 12 inch in diameter was blown up in Killi Satakzai, Mach town on August 15, and it resulted in disruption of gas supply to parts of Bolan districts and Quetta city. Moreover, two power pylons of 220 Kilowatts transmission lines were blown up in separate explosions near Dera Allah Yar on August 15.

Five NATO oil tankers passing through Balochistan were set ablaze by unknown gunmen in Dasht area of Balochistan on August 19. The gunmen managed to escape unhurt.

Week in Review

a) Acts of Terrorism/Subversion

• As Balochistan is passing through deteriorating law and order situation, and strident ethnic and sectarian violence, there are elements capitalizing on this prevalent unrest. Recent reports suggest that property dealers are creating panic among non-Baloch residents by sending them threatening letters. It is forcing people to flee Quetta and sell their property at low rates, according to some officials.[1]
• Three dead bodies of missing persons were found in Balochistan on Monday, August 15. Two bodies were found near Zarrgau, in the suburbs of Quetta, and they were later on identified from the name slips recovered from their pockets, as Abdul Hameed, son of Noor Muhammad and Athar Gul, son of Khan Mohammad. Also, Balochistan Levies recovered a dead body in Loop area of tehsil Wadh of district Khuzdar, identified as Abdul Karim, son of Noor Ahmed, resident of Wadh. He was slaughtered on the basis of old animosity, according to sources.[2]
• The bullet-riddled bodies of four missing activists of Baloch Students Organisation (BSO-Azad) were found in two separate areas of Mastung, about 50 kilometers south of Quetta, on August 18. According to a local official of Balochistan Levies, Zulfiqar Shah, some passersby spotted two bodies in Ganji Dohri and informed the Levies thana nearby, and the Levies men took bodies into custody and later on they were identified as Azad Mohammad Tariq and Mahmood Baloch. Two other bodies were also found near Kushkak. The victims were identified as Hamid Baloch and Latif Baloch. They were also reported to be affiliated with BSO-Azad.[3]
• A gas pipeline of 12 inch in diameter was blown up in Killi Satakzai, Mach town on Monday August 15, which resulted in disruption of gas supply to Bolan district and adjacent areas and parts of Quetta. A day earlier, police claimed to have defused a bomb attached to a gas pipeline a few kilometers from the blast site of a restaurantin Jaffarabad.[4]
• Two power pylons of 220 Kilowatts transmission lines were blown up in separate explosions near Dera Allah Yar during early hours of Monday, August 15, and resulted in power shortfall in the area. According to Quetta Electricity Supply Company (QESCO) officials, the blast contributed towards rise in the duration of daily load shedding all over Balochistan. However, despite QESCO claims of a 12 hour load shedding schedule, Quetta is experiencing 14 to 16 hours of daily power cuts, while remote areas suffer outages up to 23 hours every day.[5]
• In a shooting incident, unidentified gunmen shot dead the son of former provincial minister Hafiz Hussain Ahmed at Abdul Sattar Road in Quetta on August 19. Also two men were killed in Hana and Turbat while three were killed after being abducted from Dasht. On the same day, sixdecomposed bodies have also been recovered from Hub and Mastung.[6]
• ┬╖ Unidentified gunmen attacked NATO oil tankers in the Dasht area of Balochistan on Friday, August 19. Five tankers were set ablaze as result of firing but no casualty was reported. The attackers managed to escape later on.[7]

• Two more bullet-riddled bodies of missing Balochis, including an activist of Baloch National Movement (BNM) were found dumped on Coastal Highway near Chakli area in Pasni on August 20. The deceased were identified as BNM activist Sajid Baloch, son of Ismail, resident of Jiwani and Khalid Baloch, son of Haji Hashim, resident of Pasni.[8]
• The cases of killed and dumped bodies of missing persons are on the rise in the province. As two more dead bodies were found dumped on Saturday, August 20 near the Sohrab area of Kech district. Later, they were identified as Asif Baloch, resident of Mand and Abubakar Baloch, nephew of slain Baloch National Frontleader Ghulam Mohammad Baloch.[9]

b) Political Front

In an address to the nation on Independence Day at the Convention Centre, Prime Minister Gilani said the government has decided to release all political prisoners who are not wanted in other crimes. He mentioned that in the light of 39 recommendations underlined in the Aghaz-i-Haqooq-i-Balochistan Package, major changes would be initiated soon in constitutional, political, administrative and economic matters of Balochistan. Moreover, he delineated that the purpose of Balochistan package was to alleviate grievances and sense of deprivation among the people of Balochistan. The PM also expressed his readiness to go to all Baloch leaders as government wants to bring them into the national mainstream.[10]

A resolution to create new provinces was withdrawn from the Balochistan Assembly on August 17, when the proponents of the bill, the PML-Q members, could not reach consensus amongst themselves. The resolution was meant to address the issue of formation of new provinces on political basis rather than on ethnic basis. Abdul Khaliq of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Sheikh Jaffar Khan Mandokhel of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid had tabled a joint resolution asking the federal government for an immediate solution to the issue of new provinces. Debate on the issue is creating disharmony in the country, they added. During the normal proceedings of the assembly meeting, journalists staged walk out in protest of the killing of journalist Munir Shakir in Khuzdar on Sunday, August 14. The journalists ended their boycott when the ministers promised to set up a committee to probe the killing.[11]

Meanwhile federal government authorized the Balochistan government to begin a dialogue with all political forces in the militancy and poverty-hit province. The decision was reached during second meeting on Balochistan held at the Presidency on August 17. President Asif Ali Zardari said that the provincial government needs to engage all sections of society, including political parties, tribal elders, academics and the local population, to find out an amicable solution to Balochistan conundrum.[12]

The Balochistan Assembly on Friday, August 19 adopted the Balochistan Police Act 2011, granting more powers to administration and district magistrates in regulating police. The Balochistan Police Act 2011 is based on Police Act of 1861 which replaced the Police Order 2002. The bill allocates power of postings as well as transfer of senior police officials to the provincial government. Under the new act, powers of the provincial police officer (PPO) under the Police Order 2002 would be exercised by the home secretary. Also, the post of district police officer (DPO) will be abolished and that of superintendent of police (SP) restored, who would work directly under the supervision of district magistrate.[13]

[2] Violence continues: 3 more dumped bodies found in Balochistan–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/232487/violence-continues-3-more-dumped-bodies-found-in-balochistan/

[3] Balochistan Violence: Four missing BSO activists found dead in Mastung–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/234740/balochistan-violence-four-missing-bso-activists-found-dead-in-mastung/

[4] Mach attack: Gas pipeline blown up–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/232358/mach-attack-gas-pipeline-blown-up/

[5] Electricity Shortfall: Destruction of pylons worsens power crisis in Balochistan–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/232349/electricity-shortfall-destruction-of-pylons-worsens-power-crisis-in-balochistan/

[6] Shooting incidents in Quetta, 12 dead–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/234952/shooting-incidents-in-quetta-12-dead/

[7] 5 NATO tankers destroyed in Dasht–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/235113/5-nato-tankers-destroyed-in-dasht/

[8] Balochistan Unrest: BNM activist among two found dead in Pasni–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/235575/balochistan-unrest-bnm-activist-among-two-found-dead-in-pasni/

[9] Baloch missing persons: Two more corpses found in Kech district–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/236140/baloch-missing-persons-two-more-corpses-found-in-kech-district/

[10] All political prisoners to be released, says PM–, at http://epaper.dawn.com/

[11]Provincial assembly: No consensus on new provinces in Balochistan –, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/233328/provincial-assembly-no-consensus-on-new-provinces-in-balochistan/

[12] Centre authorises Balochistan to launch dialogue with political forces–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/233271/centre-authorises-balochistan-to-launch-dialogue-with-political-forces/

[13] Police Act 2011: Balochistan gets police transfer powers–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/235538/police-act-2011-balochistan-gets-police-transfer-powers/