Against the backdrop of relatively calm previous two weeks in Balochistan, violence and terror revisited the province during the current week.The highlight of the week was a clash between Frontier Corps (FC) and a group of armed men in the Balgater area, which left six attackers dead and two FC personnelinjured. In sum, 13 people were killed as a result of different episodes of violence across Balochistan.
FC Balochistan Inspector General, Major General, Ubaidullah Khattak denied any involvement of FC in the ongoing ‘kill and dump operation’ in the province. He claimed that 99 percent of the people who were bullet-riddled were criminals and had been killed by their affiliates.
In a seminar, titled ‘Attacks on journalists and media freedom’, at the Quetta Press Club, Mr. Imtiaz Alam, General Secretary of South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) stressed that the government institutions and armed forces should not impede the work of media in the volatile province. He urged the government to constitute a committee to investigate the killing of journalists in Balochistan.
Because of the fear of target killing and the deteriorating law and order situation in the province, more and more teachers are quitting their jobs in Balochistan, where education sector is already suffering due to state apathy and mismanagement of resources.
Week in Review
a) Acts of Terrorism/Subversions and Abductions
- Three more bullet-riddled bodies of Balochistan National Party activists identified as Allah Baksh and his two nephews Sanaullah and Bashir Ahmed were found dumped in Khuzdar district on December 13, some 300 kilometers from the provincial capital. All of them belonged to Ferozabad area in Khuzdar and they were missing from two months.[1]
- On December 14, a vehicle of the paramilitary troops during its routine patrolling hit a landmine near the Mand Balo area of Balochistan, killing at least two security personnel while five others were injured. No group has taken the responsibility for the incident so far.[2]
- According to official sources, a Frontier Corps (FC) convoy was on its way to Panjgur from Turbat on December 15 when a group of armed men ambushed it neartheBalgater area, situated between Turbat and Panjgur and injured two personnel. In retaliatory attack, FC killed at least six militants and also seized a huge reserve of arms and ammunition from the militants. No group has taken responsibility for the incident so for.[3]
- In a target killing incident on Friday, December 16, unknown armed men shot dead the Chief Medical Officer of Gwadar District Headquarters Hospital Dr. Naseem Baloch in Pasni, Balochistan. He was at his clinic in Sibi when armed men entered and killed him on the spot.[4]
- In another incident, unidentified armed men opened fire on a former female councilor of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Fahmida Qadir Bakhsh, in Sengani Sar area of Turbat on Saturday, December 17 and killing her on spot. The assailants managed to escape from the scene.[5]
b) Political Front
While defending the Frontier Corps (FC) presence in Balochistan for maintaining law and order, FC Inspector-General Major General Ubaidullah Khattak during a news briefing at FC Headquarter in Quetta, on December 14, strongly rejected the FC involvement in the killing and dumping of missing persons. He said that about 99 percent of the people whose bullet-riddled bodies were found dumped in different places of Balochistan were criminals and had been killed by their own affiliates. He added that criminal organizations first use these people for subversive attacks and later on kill them.[6]
The South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) has called on the government of Pakistan to form a committee to probe the killings of journalists in Balochistan. Mr. Imtiaz Alam, SAFMA general secretary, said on Friday, December 16: Government institutions and armed groups need to recognize the role of media and must not pressurize reporters. SAFMA organized a conference, titled: ‘Attacks on journalists and media freedom’, at the Quetta Press Club, and adopted resolutions demanding proper training for journalists in Balochistan, a specific fund in Balochistan annual budget to enhance the capacity of journalists, and establishment of press clubs in each district.[7]
Three ministers belonging to Balochistan National Party-Awami (BNP-A) walked out of the Balochistan Assembly proceedings on December 17, in protest against the target killing of Doctor Naseem Baloch on December 16 and the police failure to protect the life and property of people in the province.[8]
c) Social Front
A growing number of teachers are reported to be quitting their posts at Balochistan institutions of higher learning because of fear factor, dealing a blow to the already grim educational situation of the province. In order to stop this trend and unlock the educational potential in the province, a distinguished academician, Prof Muhammad Masoom Yasinzai, Vice-Chancellor of Quaid-e-Azam University (Ex V.C. of Balochistan University) stressed, on December 15, that show of power through barrel will lead educational institutions in Balochistan to further deterioration.[9]
d) Economic Front
In post-devolution scenario, the centre is inflexible, and will not heed the provinces– pleas for financial backing. As in response to Balochistan request that the province is worse-off financially after the National Finance Commission award and the 18th Amendment, the federal government has refused on December 16 to take financial liability, worth Rs1.15 billion, to run a project that aims to develop the mining industry in Balochistan. The center is of the view that after the 18th Amendment, the constitutional restrictions do not allow for the funding of provincial projects out of the federal Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).[10]
[1] BNP activists killed: Three more people found dead in Balochistan–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/305815/bnp-activists-killed-three-more-people-found-dead-in-balochistan/
[2] Landmine blast kills two FC personnel in Balochistan–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/306459/landmine-blast-kills-two-fc-personnel-in-balochistan/
[3] 6 attackers killed, 2 FC personnel injured in Balgater ambush–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/307062/6-attackers-killed-2-fc-personnel-injured-in-balgater-ambush/
[4] Gwadar’s chief medical officer shot dead by assailants–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/307666/gwadars-chief-medical-officer-shot-dead-by-assailants/
[5]Former PML-N councilor shot dead in Turbat–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/308058/former-pml-n-councilor-shot-dead-in-turbat/
[6] FC sees criminals behind dumping of bodies–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/306031/fc-sees-criminals-behind-dumping-of-bodies/
[7] Balochistan Unrest: SAFMA demands probe into killing of journalists ¿, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/307883/balochistan-unrest-safma-demands-probe-into-killing-of-journalists/
[8] Target killings: BNP-A ministers walk out from Balochistan Assembly–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/308008/target-killings-bnp-a-ministers-walk-out-from-balochistan-assembly/
[9] Upshot of unrest: Teachers take flight from Balochistan–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/306898/upshot-of-unrest-teachers-take-flight-from-balochistan/
[10] Cash-strapped: Balochistan claims it worse-off after devolution–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/307301/cash-strapped-balochistan-claims-its-worse-off-after-devolution/