Islamabad, Pakistan: An ill-managed police action by the capital authorities against the Baloch Yekjehti Committee (BYC) in Islamabad helped those who wanted to propagate that Balochi are under attack in Pakistan.
The March that started from Turbat did not get the global media attention as much as it found just in the last two days when ICT displayed excessive use of force while the IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq warned Islamabad Inspector General (IG) against any hindrance in the protest, saying that they have the constitutional right of demonstration.
After the damage was done, the Caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar formed a three-member committee comprising of federal ministers including the Minister for Privatization for negotiations with the members of the BYC who in a press conference claimed that their talks with BYC were successful and detained individuals including women and children were released from police custody. However, BYC claimed that its protestors were forcefully loaded in buses and they were on their way back to Balochistan.
Pakistan: @amnesty is deeply concerned by the excessive use of force by law enforcement against the Baloch Long March protestors in Islamabad on 21 December. Amnesty has reviewed videos showing water cannons, tear gas and batons being used against the protestors. Dozens have been…
— Amnesty International South Asia, Regional Office (@amnestysasia) December 21, 2023
Whatever happened in Islamabad surely helped the cause of BYC that wanted to best place in national and international media and after this situation, the viewpoint of CTD Balochistan and the state over the alleged involvement of foreign forces behind the protests in Balochistan would surely not get place in mainstream national as well as international media.
After this power show of ICT Police against protestors having majority of women and children, a message is sent by the administration that Pakistan is not ready to listen grievances of the Baloch people. The ministers, who were part of the committee, while holding the press conference failed to provide the reason why protestors could not protest outside Islamabad Press Club which is a popular place for such protests, and why they proposed various locations for the protesters to stage their sit-ins instead of outside National Press Club?
The whole scene spreading over the last two days put the stance of the State under the dust of the events and placed protestors as “innocent” and “marginalized groups”.
Related Story: An impartial and academic review of Human Rights issues in Balochistan
Protestors that came from Balochistan are using the case of the killing of Balach son of Moola Bakhsh as the latest example for their allegations against the State by claiming that Balach was an innocent person who was killed by the police in a fake police encounter. However, the Counter Terrorism Department Balochistan (CTD) has its side of the story. According to the CTD version, during the year 2023, 66 innocent people were martyred and more than 30 injured during 158 terrorist attacks by BLA and its offshoots terrorist organizations. In this regard, CTD claimed that it arrested eight most wanted terrorists during various secret operations during one month and Balach was one of them who was arrested on 20 November 2023. At the time of arrest, he was carrying 5 kg explosive material and these explosives were to be used in terrorist operations in Turbat city.
On the night of 22-23 November, an operation was conducted to identify the secret place where the explosive was dumped near Pasni where more terrorists were hiding during this operation, terrorist Balach was killed in a fierce exchange of fire coming from terrorists. The exchange of fire continued for 15 to 20 minutes, after which the terrorists managed to escape by taking advantage of the darkness. Later, during the search, the bodies of terrorists Abdul Wadud son of Mubarak, and Saifullah son of Umid Ali were recovered.
Balach son of Mola Bakhsh was a resident of Kalati Bazar Absar, Tehsil Turbat District Kech. Before his killing in exchange for fire with terrorists, Balach was interrogated by the CTD who gave details regarding his joining and training in BLA and he confirmed that he was involved in the targeted killing of many innocent people. He also confessed to being involved in several terrorist activities against the security forces. CTD claimed that he was recruited by Qasim alias Arman of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and trained by Muslim alias Guru of BLA in Charpanuk area. In October 2021, he along with BLA’s Qasim killed a Sindhi cloth dyer in the Turbat market. On December 21, 2021, they killed Hijam Ijaz son of Shahzad, a resident of Sindh (FIR 2018/21). In March 2021, they targeted FC’s vehicle with a grenade in front of Turbat’s football square (FIR 10/21). On May 31, 2021, FC’s vehicle was hit by a mine in Absar Road, Turbat, in which a lieutenant colonel and two soldiers were injured (FIR 34/21). According to CTD Balochistan, Balach planted this mine. On August 12, 2021, Balach attacked the Turbat FC check post in Makran Scouts with a hand grenade in which a security official was injured (FIR 63/21). On September 15, 2021, the FC check post in front of the National Bank Turbat was attacked with a hand grenade by Balach along with Qasim (FIR 73/21).
It may be mentioned that civilians and armed forces are under constant terrorist attacks in Pakistan and South Asia Terrorism Portal, a non-governmental organization that compiles statistics on terrorist attacks in South Asia, counted 365 attacks in 2022 and 835 attacks in year 2023 till November. According to this portal, 229 civilians, 379 security forces personnel, and 363 militants were killed in these attacks in 2022.
While in 2023, a total of 350 civilians, 485 security personnel, and 507 militants were killed in these attacks. Talking about suicide attacks, according to the portal, before the Afghan Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, there were three attacks in Pakistan in 2020 (25 deaths), four in 2021 (21 deaths), while in 2022 these attacks were 13 (96 deaths) and on November 27, 2023. Till now there have been 30 suicide attacks (238 deaths) in Pakistan.
Dealing with such kind of rising terrorism, the security forces are tightening security parameters and dealing with ultra-nationalist terror organizations like BLA and TTP because there are credible reports that all such organizations are operating from Afghanistan and all of them collaborate for striking inside Pakistan.
