Balochistan, the area-wise largest and population wise smallest province of Pakistan, embodies great geo-strategic importance not only for the countrybut also for the region. Balochistan shares borders of about 1,200 kilometers with Afghanistan to its northwest and 900 kilometers with Iran to its west. Some 1,129 kilometers of the Persian Gulf MakranCoastare in Balochistan. The geographical location of Balochistan is unique as it is a gateway to South Asia, Middle East and Central Asia.

Moreover, home to almost seven million people, Balochistan comprises 44 per cent of Pakistan’s total land mass. Mostly deserts and mountains, it is rich in untapped resources such as natural gas, uranium and possibly oil. Some 20 per cent of the area is sparsely populated with nomadic and settled Baloch and Pashtun tribes. Since independence in 1947, there have been intermittent disturbances in Balochistan. These are being variously referred to as Baloch militancy–, ¿insurgency–, sectarian violence, and ¿uprising– or ¿resurgent nationalism–. Ethnic Balochs always demanded greater autonomy and more control over revenues from their gas fields and other mineral resources, whereas Pakistani government in response launched four military operations and the fifth one, that beganin 2003, is in progress, primarily against hardline Baloch separatists operating from hills and remote areas.

Sectarian Militancy

As Balochi nationalist separatists continue their violence campaign against the government,the province has seen an unusual spoke insectarian violence in recent years. A staggering 30 per cent growth of the religious schools has been recorded in Balochistan between 2002- 2007, when a coalition of religio-political parties and tribal chieftains ruled the province. The majority of these seminariesbelong to the Sunni Deobandi school of thought, and some of them are considered to be the primary source ofsectarian violencethe province. This dimension of newly emerged paradigm of violence has further complicated the security situation in Balochistan. The recent killings in Balochistan are reported to be part of a series of sectarian attacks that were initiated from Quetta and some towns surrounding itbythe banned Sunni terrorist group, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ).Closely allied to the Taliban-al Qaeda claiming, the group has claimedresponsibility for most of suchattacks.The recent spate of sectarian violence is also primarilydirected against the Shia community belonging to Hazara tribes.

Hazaras, descendents of the Mongols, predominantly comprise the Shia population ofQuetta. Having migrated from Hazarajat in westernAfghanistan, the Hazaras are a socially mobile minority. Shias belonging to Hazara community are concentrated in Hazara Town of Quetta. Estimates suggest that about 380 Hazaras have been killed between 1999 and September 2011. Whereas, from January to September 23, 2011, nine major incidents of sectarian killing resulted in the killing 74 people and most of the victims were of Shia community, belonging to Hazaras, while LeJ claiming responsibility for almost all major attacks.

Mentioned below are few of the major incidents of sectarian violence in the province in 2011:

• May6 [i]: Gunmen openedindiscriminate fire on a passenger bus near Western Bypass, Quetta, hurled hand grenades and fired rockets to target members of the Hazara community in a playground at around 7: 30 am. Six members of the community were killed while another 15 were injured. Lashkar-e-Jhangvi claimed responsibility for the killings.

• May 18 [ii]: Terrorists riding motorbikes interceptedsix Hazara vegetable vendors travelling from Hazar Ganji Market to Quetta in Killi Goharabad, Hazar Ganjiand sprayed them with bullets. Alll six were killed on the spot.Lashkar-e-Jhangvi again claimed responsibility for the killings.

• May 29 [iii]: Two policemen belonging to the Hazara community were on their way on a motorcycle when unidentified armed men shot and killed them in Quetta, Ispini Road. The incident is reported to be a result of sectarian violence.

• June 22 [iv]: A group of armed men opened fire on a bus carrying pilgrims from Balochistan to Iran, killing three people and injuring nine.The attack occurred near the western bypass in Quetta. The passenger coach, which was on its way from Quetta to Taftan, was carrying 50 passengers when it came under attack.

• July 10 [v]: Unknown gunmen riding a motorcycle opened indiscriminate fire at the Sartaj petrol pump on the Qambrani Road, killing three people, including the IG police office clerk Ashiq Hussain, Amjad Ali and a retired police official and Abdul Qayyum, police sources reported. Soon after the incident, police reached the site and shifted the bodies to the Bolan Medical Complex Hospital. The killers managed to escape from the place of attack. Two among those assassinated belonged to the Hazara community, a police official confirmed.

• July 29 [vi]: Gunmen killed at least seven people, including four Shia–as, at a crowded bus terminal on Saryab Road on Friday. Lashkar-e-Jhangvi claimed the responsibility for the killings. Those killed were identified as Asmathullah, Abdul Nabi Reki, Mazullah, Saghem Abbas, Arif Hussain, Syed Qalb Hussain and Syed Awan Raza. The one injured was shifted to the Bolan Medical College Hospital. DIG Operations Hamid Shakeel said a search operation had been launched to nab the unidentified gunmen.

• July 30 [vii]: At least 11 people, a woman among them, were killed when armed men sprayed bullets at a van on the outskirts of Quetta. The victims were travelling to Quetta from Hazara town in a rented van when the assailants ambushed the Suzuki van. Ali Sher Haideri, a spokesman of Lashkari-Jhangvi, claimed responsibility for the killings. ‘Ten out of eleven persons who lost their lives in the shooting belong to Hazara tribe,’ DIG Operation Hamid Shakeel told Dawn, adding that another man who was killed in the attack was a rickshaw driver who was caught in the cross-fire. This was the second shooting incident involving Hazaras in Balochistan within 24 hours.

• August 31[viii]: A powerful suicide car bomb blast killed at least 11 people, including two women and two children, and wounded 32 others. According to reports, a militant belonging to Lashkar e Jhangvi, who was heading to hit the Shia–a community EID prayer gathering at the Eidgah in Marriabad, detonated his explosive laden car onGulistan Roadin the Marriabad area ofQuetta, failing to reach the intended target.

• September 20 [ix]: In a brutal assault, gunmen dragged Shiite pilgrims out of their bus, lined them up and assassinated 26 in a hail of gunfire in Mastung, a district 50 kilometers south of Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province. Gunmen then killed another three Shiites on the outskirts of Quetta whom police said were going to collect relatives killed in the first incident. Both attacks occurred on Tuesday.It was the deadliest attack on Shiites in Pakistan since September 4, 2010 when a suicide bomber killed at least 57 people at a rally in Quetta.

• September 23 [x]: At least three people were killed when unknown gunmen opened indiscriminate fire on a passenger van travelling to New Saryab area.

Conclusion

The indefatigable worsening of security in Balochistan is rapidly opening up the vast chasm for anti-state and anti-social elements to prey upon weaker, unprotected segments of Balochistan, especially Shia–a community. Furthermore, credible reports suggest that Shai-Sunni violence, which was once the hallmark of instability in southern Punjab has shifted its center of gravity to Balochistan, especially Quetta. Adding to this, Iran and Saudi Arabia have once again jumped into the quagmire to fuel the sectarian militancy in Balochistan through funding respective militant outfits. Thus, Balochistan has become multi-pronged challenge for the state of Pakistan, where astoundingly, every layer of instability contributes to abet and aggravate the other layer. In sum, Balochistan is Pakistan ‘bleeding ulcer’ with bleak prognosis of recuperation, at least in near future.

[ii] http://hazaranewspakistan.wordpress.com/2011/05/18/6-hazaras-killed-4-severely-injured-in-sariab-attack/

[iii] http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Regional/Karachi/29-May-2011/Gunmen-kill-two-police-in-Quetta

[iv] http://www.samaa.tv/newsdetail.aspx?ID=33328

[v] http://www.hazarapeople.com/2011/07/12/three-more-hazaras-killed-in-a-planned-terrorist-attack-in-quetta/

[vi] http://www.dawn.com/2011/07/30/seven-killed-in-quetta-shooting.html

[vii] http://www.dawn.com/2011/07/30/nine-people-killed-in-firing-incident-in-quetta.html

[viii] http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2011/08/suicide-car-bomber-kills-10-in-quetta/

[ix] http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/20/us-pakistan-violence-idUSTRE78J2LN20110920

[x] http://www.aaj.tv/2011/09/quetta-three-killed-in-a-firing-incident/