BrassTacks - Missing Persons of Baluchistan - looking beyond the Obvious by Tayyaba Zaid

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Missing Persons of Baluchistan Published: 8th July, 2012 Authors: Shahzad Masood Roomi (Shahzad.leo@gmail.com) Edited By : Syed Zaid Zaman Hamid, Salman Hassan Title Design : Waqar Ahmed Siddiqui Designing : Shahzad Masood Roomi

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Baluchistan has been in the limelight, both in national and international media, since last many months due to whole range of different reasons. For international media, Baluchistan has become a burning issue due to alleged Taliban hideouts, mysterious Quetta Shura and the growing US interest in the province. For the local media, the prosecution of missing persons case by Supreme Court of Pakistan is the most significant issue in the province. War on Terror, the sudden US interest in human rights issues of Baluchistan and the missing persons case in Supreme Court of Pakistan; all are interconnected issues as the dynamics operating behind these issues are well amalgamated and have far reaching implications for national security. In a serious development, Supreme Court of Pakistan; in its interim order; has put the entire responsibility of the lawlessness and missing persons on FC and has directed the intelligence agencies to produce the missing persons in the court1. Supreme Court summoned IGFC Baluchistan to appear in front of the court to explain his inability to produce the missing persons. The Supreme Court ordered to speed up the recovery of 138 missing persons in the court2 which Supreme Court believes are held by agencies and FC. Meanwhile according to defence secretary, 93 people are missing and no one is in the custody of ISI or other agencies. For the security circles,this verdict by the Supreme Court was discomforting after the findings of a judicial commission, working under former Supreme Court judge Justice (r) Javed Iqbal, to investigate the missing persons issue. The commission’s report revealed the involvement of foreign agencies in ensuing unrest in the Baluchistan province and showed proofs of their involvement. On missing persons case, the facts are dramatically opposite to what is being projected by the media.The number of missing persons in Baluchistsan, according to the commission’s findings, is less than that of the other three provinces. Opposite to the propaganda, the commission established that only 460 persons are missing nationwide and according to breakup, concluded by the commission, 18 missing persons are listed missing from Islamabad, 117 from Punjab, 174 from Sindh, 170 from NWFP, 57 from Baluchistan and 12 each from Azad Kashmir and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata)’3. Even without taking the findings of the judicial commission into consideration, the most fundamental

The quest to answer these queries leads us to analyze, along with other developments, the performence, efficiency and competancy of provincial and federal governments of PPP.

3. Sectarian Violence: The sectarian violence has compounded the situation further particularly the

killing of Hazara Shia settlers in and around Quetta city. It has been proven now that foreign secret services like CIA and Mossad are actively involved in sowing sectarian violence in order to recruit foot soldiers for international sectarian terrorist organization like Jundullah to operate in Iran. It is a noteworthy fact that after Jundullah leadership was executed; due to joint efforts of Pakistani and Iranian intelligence agencies last year; the sectarian violence within Baluchistan, particularly against Hazara Shia, has compounded.

The issue of missing persons would never get resolved by focusing on the apparent developments alone. Supreme Court will have to look beyond the obvious. There are multiple internal and external dynamics that have shaped-up current strife-ridden environment in Baluchistan and understanding these aspects would help us to analyze the possible implications of the interim order of the Supreme Court in overall national security perspective.

The Environment 1. Insurgencies: The province is in the grip of low level con-

flicts, linguistic violence and sabotage due to foreign funded terrorist and separatist movements like BLA and BRA. These terrorists’ outfits have training and logistical bases in Afghanistan supported by Indian RAW and CIA’s drug network. IGFC Baluchistan has also highlighted the role of foreign agencies in Baluchistan unrest and this was endorsed by the judicial commission. According to IGFC Baluchistan, more than 100 training camps were actively training the Baluch militants out of which almost 30 camps were located inside Afghanistan.4 Baluch separatists are now active in Karachi as well; supplying weapons and ammunition to the criminal gangs of Layari. In May 2012, the authorities apprehended 3 BLA activists from Sher Shah Colony of Karachi while they were proliferating weapons from Baluchistan into the city.5

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question remains that why would Pakistan’s own army, FC or any agency,kidnap the peaceful and patriotic Baluch people? No government instituation, including Supreme Court knows the exact number of missing persons,which leads to another basic question that how the Supreme Court of Pakistan established the exact number of missing persons? And a related and equally critical question arises on the criteria of Supreme Court, as well, to declare a particular individual as ‘missing’.

Sectarian violence – A serious challenge

4. Governance issue: Today there is literally no government in Baluchistan. The FC was put under the

Chief Minister Baluchistan but most of the time, he remains absent from the province. Most of the ministers in the province have been involved in filing cases against each other for kidnapping and sabotage. Former Interior Minister hinted during the missing persons case prosecution that the government would withdraw all the cases against the BLA founder Brahamdagh Bugti and the Baluchistan Liberation Army leader Nawabzada Harbayar Marri.7,8 This strengthened the perception that Islamabad is victimizing the

University Students? 3 captured BLA activists in Karachi

BLA has put a ban on Pakistan’s National Anthem in the schools of the province and have killed many patriotic Pakistanis on raising the National Flag and reading National Anthem in the schools.

2. Ethnic Strife: The Provincial government does not have a clue as to how to overcome the daily law

and order situation. Ethnic target killings, kidnapping, coercion and intimidation of non-Baluch settlers, including Pushtun, Punjabi and Kashmiri, are common law and order incidents. The frequency of these incidents is ever increasing. About 100,000 people (mostly non-Baluch) have migrated to other provinces due to non-stop violence6. The Blame of missing persons that is put on FC might also be linked to the fact that most of the FC personnel are of Pushtun ethnicity. Resultantly, FC becomes victim of media and Baluch separatists’ propaganda in missing persons and kidnapping issues. Testimony of good governance in the province

5. Corruption: The Current PPP regime has been declared

as the worst in terms of financial management and corruption since independence. Our country is losing Rs. 6 to 8 billion per day due to this corrupt government.9,10 But the situation in Baluchistan has gone beyond precarious now but the PPP provincial ministers not only consider it harmless but also encourage it; as stated by the Communication Minister of Baluchistan Ali Madad Jatak11. This corruption has capsized the entire administrative machinery in the province while a scattered population is in need of radical steps in development of the poverty stricken province. Recently every minister in Baluchistan, (where every member Ali Madad Jatak – Minister and of Baluchistan assembly is a minister with one or two excepCorruption promoter! tions) was allocated Rs. 300 million for development works. This trend has been prevailing since last five years and till now Baluchistan government has wasted Rs. 410 billion in embezzlement and mismanagement.

6. Social Issues: Scattered population, inadequate infrastructure and low literacy rate are the major

reasons behind the socio-economic plight of the locals. Corruption and lack of long-term planning along with power politics by the local politicians has played critical role in keeping the locals on the lowest economic ladder. As per the Constitution, resource allocation among the provinces is done on the basis of population but it is not feasible for Baluchistan because here only 4% of the total population of the country is scattered over 45% of its total area. A situation with very low persons per square kilometer that would require more resources than those allocated presently under NFC Award. Jirga system is the biggest hurdle in ensuring social justice in the complex Baluch tribal society. The presence of this system implies that there are vast areas where government and judiciary has no writ or jurisdiction and has made compromise for political gains.

7. Sardari System: The tribal structure of Baluch society is the biggest challenge in provision of social

and economic uplift of common Baluchis. All the major tribes hold centuries old grudges against each other and this social dynamic plays a central role in the abuse of power against other tribes especially when a politician from a certain tribe joins the provincial or federal government. This feudal Sardari system has literally stalled the development in many parts of the province particularly in the restive districts while the Army is trying desperately for the social uplift of common man through building schools and hospitals. Every federal government in the history of Pakistan has used this tribal system for its own political gains. It was in the 19th century when the British introduced this system to divide and rule the brave tribes by pitching them against each other. In 1972, the Baluchistan Provincial Assembly passed a resolution and asked the federal government of Zulifiqar Ali Bhutto (PPP) to abolish the Sardari and Jirga systems but the PPP government brushed aside the resolution and dragged Pakistan Army into political quagmire of Baluchistan and

Private militias – An open challenge to law

the military was used against the very people who were asking to abolish the rotten system of British era. This operation created a gulf between the armed forces and the Baluch masses. This Sardari and Jirga system has defied the Constitution’s provisions for the security of common man by the state, more than once, but higher judiciary never took any notice. Now few influential sardars (mainly Bugti, Marri and Mengal), with Indian help, are actively launching a separatist movement on political and diplomatic front. Alarming aspect of these sinister developments is that their opinions are given immense attention by international media and thus the foreign powers are exploiting their demands to keep Islamabad under pressure for geo-strategic reasons.

It remains the most throbbing tragedy that despite being in a war since the last 10 years, Pakistan has failed to adopt a cohesive and comprehensive national security policy to proivde guidelines for defining terrorism and making amendments in the constitution to translate that policy into anti-terror laws. This is the most fundamental flaw in Pakistan’s national security doctrine in the 21st century. The Pakistan Army and LEA’s have been fighting a complex covert war within the urban centers across the state since the last decade and there is no end in sight due to continuation of this flawed policy. No judicial and media support exists for the men continue giving the ultimate sacrifices to secure the homeland. Almost all the terrorist apprehended by the Army and LEA’s have either been released or have not been punished severely to set a precedent for their cadres who are planning to launch more attacks on Pak Sarzameen. Results have thus been catastrophical! ♦♦ Internally, three out of four provincial capitals are faced with ethnic, sectarian and religious militancy; all buoyed by foreign elements as sheer ineptitude of both the provincial and federal governments has created opportunities for hostile elements to work in Pakistan with impunity. ♦♦ Regionally, desperate efforts are underway to isolate Pakistan from the Region. Pakistan’s relations with Iran and China are the main target. This explains the killing of Chinese and Shia in Baluchistan. ♦♦ Internationally, Pakistan is being made a scapegot to concede the US/NATO failure in their so-called war on terror in Afghanistan. Intense media psy-ops explain this and now the US is openly threatening Pakistan. ♦♦ Due to this policy level failure, not only the internal security profile is presenting a bleak picture but external threats are also mounting on the Western front of Pakistan which is constituted by 1800 km open border with US-occupied Afghanistan; from where CIA, Mosssad and other foreign agencies are actively working in alliance to separate Balu-

BLA terrorists – how many of these are in missing persons list?

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local Baluch leaders. Certainly, the political situation in the province is nothing short of a comical circus where all the actors remain completely oblivious to the gravity of the ensuing chaos in the province.

explains why the US has been fighting wars across the world since the last half century irrespective of cost of these wars.

Baluchistan and the Global Geopolitical Great Game Baluchistan has remained a great geographical attention of the global player for its strategic location on the map and vast untapped mineral resources which include gold, copper, natural gas, oil, marble and coal. All major trade and energy routes from South East Asia to Middle East and from Central Asia to Indian Ocean pass through this region. Baluchistan remained center stage of the 19th century’s Great Game between Russian and British Empires. American interest in the region can be traced back to 1942, when a map of Indian subcontinent emerged under the title “Outline of Post-War New World Map” created by Maurice Gomberg of Philadelphia PA. Interestingly, it includes a manifesto describing a "New World Moral Order", along with quotes from Roosevelt's Four Freedoms speech12.The proposed strategy about Indian subcontinent was outlined in following words, “The areas known as India, including Afghanistan, Baluchistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Burma shall be unified as a demilitarized ‘federated Republics of India’.” Interestingly, both the map and the stated policy recognized Baluchistan as a separate state13. Certainly the aftermath of the World War II and the creation of Pakistan in 1947 as the largest independent Muslim state in the world altered this grand geopolitical plan. British Empire lost her influence due to destruction caused by the later years of the war. The Second World War brought colonial era to its end. But despite these changes on world’s political landscape, the Great Game of global control continues, rather it has become more ruthless now. So, how much of this grand strategic plan of the US has changed in the post 9/11 world? Not much. Strategic goals remain the same i.e. to have complete control over all major trade and energy corridors of the world. To rule over all sea lines of communications in and out of the Strait of Hurmoz, over the countries of Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and last but not the least, over the strategic port of Gawader in order to prevent the Chinese access to the base. This port has been regarded as part of Chinese Naval strategy, ‘String of Pearls’ by some Indian and Western analysts. Thus, Baluchistan lies in the middle of this grand US plan.

Pakistani port of Gawadar – Bone of contention for the US

“We, the U.S.A., in cooperation with our allies, for reasons of our national safety and in the interests of international morality, are determined to crush and completely destroy the military power of the Axis aggressors, and their satellites regardless of cost, effort and time necessary to accomplish this task.” This statement in above map

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chistan. Indians have their own obvious agenda against Pakistan. But the question arises as to why the US wants to separate Baluchistan from Pakistan? We must understand that this is part of the bigger Great Game which was and is being played in the region to assert control over the geography, natural resources, trade corridors and in cementing the political clout from Central Asia to the Indian Ocean. Afghainstan and Baluchistan are two most important regions in this strategic game plan.

New plan for old dream of control

This grand plan must not be misinterpreted and misunderstood by Pakistani security managers as an ancient idea or a conspiracy theory. Events in the last 10 years alone must be enough to prove that it is a real conspiracy and not just a theory albeit unlike colonial era, now the methodology has been changed to implode the states from within and dividing them into smaller states on ethnic and sectarian lines through multipronged 4GW. Apart from containing China, the US would never like an economic block comprising Pakistan, Iran and Turkey to be connected through rail and road links, once again, making Baluchistan the most important region in South East Asia. Any such plan would go against the US strategic interests due to the following reasons; 1. Pak-Iran relations would be bolstered and the entire US investment on Jundullah would be wasted. 2. Iranian isolation would end in the region. 3. China, through Pakistan and Iran, would be able to have access to Middle East and Europe, using Turkish land bridge. 4. Turkey would expand her clout beyond Middle East. Recent outreach to China for alternate Silk Route through Central Asia to Europe is part of this Turkish strategy. 5. The US dream of having a base in Baluchistan in order to keep an eye on Iran, Afghanistan and China would be withered away. The US had deployed a well worked out strategy to prevent the above mentioned developments. War on terror has provided CIA and Mossad the opportunities to launch multiple low level conflicts, terrorism, sabotage, psy-ops and espionage operations and insurgencies both in Pakistan and Iran. CIA ran a clandestine operation to attack Iran using sectarian Baluch elements. The idea was to create ethnic and sectarian unrest in Iran and sabotage Pak-Iran relations.

13 Trans-Eurasian Rail Link via Turkish Land Bridge Challenge for the US Strategy in 21st century!

Drone bases and intelligence gathering stations were established in Baluchistan behind the façade of combating terrorism. CIA is using stealth drones against Iran and Pakistan. But post-Salala Pakistani response forced the US to remove these bases and intelligence gathering stations. Washington has been pushing for having permanent intelligence bases in the province since many years, but refusal by Islamabad is among the main reasons of diplomatic strain between the two capitals. Pakistani security establishment believes that the recent US diplomatic, political and media maneuvering on Baluchistan –Congressional hearings, resolutions by the US senators for independent Baluchistan, cancellation of seminar on the Baluchistan crisis and threats to Pakistan from Panetta–are all part of pressure tactics to tame Pakistan in allowing CIA to establish its covert network and intelligence stations in the province14. The US and CIA involvement in Baluchistan has been proven in case of Jundullah and covert espionage operations of CIA but a frequently asked question is why the Indian government is getting involved in the Baluchistan issue?

Lastly, post-Salala geopolitical scenario has put India in a position to intensify her anti-Pakistan strategic moves in diplomacy and media warfare axis. The timing of fresh Indian allegations against Pakistan for protecting the perpetrators of 26/11 is a well contemplated move to undermine the Pakistani efforts and sacrifices in combat against terrorism. In the backdrop of all these ominous developments in and around Pakistan, the missing persons case must be examined in a security perspective to guess if the Supreme Court interim order would ensure the law and order in the province.

Revisiting the missing persons issue It is a thumb rule in every COIN strategy to secure as much local support as possible to take advantage away from the insurgents. Then why would FC kidnap or kill innocent Baluchis? Above analysis proves beyond doubt that under current situation losing public support of Baluch people will be the last thing Pakistn Army, FC or LEAs would even think of. Then there were other aspects of the petition which the Supreme Court has not addressed in the interim order. Missing persons is one of the problems but it is not the only problem in the province. There are multiple questions on the legal and judicial level which must be answered by the judiciary and government. 1. Why did the Supreme Court focus on only a single aspect of the petition? Issues like killing of nonBaluch settlers and sabotage were sidelined. 2. How was it determined that it was actually FC who did all these kidnappings and not the BLA terrrorists in FC uniforms? Even GHQ was attacked by TTP terrorists wearing army uniforms. 3. Why did not the Supreme Court ever ask the government about the national anti-terrorism and counterinsurgency policy?

“Let’s give Baluchistan the right of self-determination to fix Pakistan”,Dana Rohrabacher.

4. If FC is killing Baluchs, then who is killings people of other ethnicities incluing FC personnel?

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From a pure strategic and security point of view the answer is straight forward one. The military dominance in any region depends on the capabilities to out maneuver and out do the enemy in rapidity and gaining control of terrain. After securing these objectives, the entire discussion about the actual conflict becomes futile unless these earlier advantages are maintained through military and other means. It is a fact that Pakistan does not enjoy any strategic depth when it comes to military threat from India under her Cold Start Doctrine (CSD) except few districts of Baluchistan from where Pakistan would be able to launch a counter-offensive to beat back Indian Independent Battle Groups (IBGs). Flanking attacks against Indian IBGs, from Punjab and Sindh, wouldn’t be effective as CSD seeks the capability to make multiple ingresses in Pakistan across the international border simultaneously. An independent Baluchistan, indeed, would take away any kind of strategic depth that Pakistan has today, from the east of the Iranian and the Afghan border to the west of Indus. Indian thinkers believe that after planned secession of Baluchistan, they would have the capability to cut Pakistan into two by attacking the soft belly of Pakistan (Rahim Yar Khan-Sakkur axis). To achieve this, Indians have been working on a similar strategy similar to the one they deployed in East Pakistan against West Pakistan in 1971 since their arrival in Afghanistan after 9/11.

6. How woul the exact number of missing people be astertained? Governemt, NGOs, media and commission under Justice Javed Iqbal all have come-up with different numbers. 7. If the terrorists can come to media to spread their venom then why the IGFC cannot present his position to the nation on a subtle issue in order to end confusions? 8. Why has the judiciary failed to punish a single terrorist through judicial process in the last 10 years? Certainly, no one can be punished unless proven guilty in court of law. The Pakistani Constitution guarantees this right but what it doesn’t guarantee, in its present form, is the way to pursue the proxies and punish the terrorists. These issues cannot be overcome by the normal administrative laws during a war. As a globally accpeted principle, emergency or wartime laws are instigated in an eventuality like existential war. In any constitutional democracy, the judiciary follows the constitutional framework and existing laws to prosecute the criminals. The impact and effectiveness of these laws depends squarally on the efficiency of the law making institutions and the federal government. Since 2008, all the major constitutional amendments were focused entirely on power politics and no debate on threats like; 4GW, Af-Pak and CSD was ever initiated at any policy level forum. After 18th, 19th and 20th amendments,the federation has been weakened as these amendments endowed the corrupt and sepratists elements within the Pakistani political circles. The uproar in political circles for new provinces on ethnic and sectarin lines has been increased as well after these Yet another attack on gas installation, yet another amendments. Resultantly, the entire judicial damage assessment - Outcomes of reactive response strategy! framework has failed to bring the terrorists of 21st century to juctice as underlying laws are of 19th century which now have become obsolete in contemporary world. The US introduced PATRIOT ACT and established Department of Homeland Security to combat terror. Similarly India, UK and other countries made amendments in their legal frameworks to help their intelligence and LEAs. But in Pakistan, despite being in state of war for last 10 years, no such legislation has been done; not even after 100,000 casualties, both dead and wounded. Under the current legal framwork in the state, no secret service or LEA can perform it’s duty to protect the citizens while ensuring the sanctity of constitutional confines. Unless new legislation is passed by the legislators, a compromise is inevitable. Either the santity of the Constitution or the security of Pakistan – only one of these two can be ensured at one time. This is exactly what is happening in Baluchistan. An institutional disconnect has been created in order to confuse the people over the missing persons issue.

This dangerous disconnect between the judiciary and LEAs must be eradicated through a massive clean-up in the political system. After the revelations of Memogate scandal investigations, the current regime itself has become a security threat for the country and must be ousted ASAP. Current political lot has failed to solve the issue of terrorism at policy level and entire responsibility has been put on the Pakistan Army and intelligence agencies. The Supreme Court’s decision on Karachi failed to bring any improvement in law and order situation there and if Supreme Court issued another order or even declared emergency in Baluchistan; there would be no change on ground just like Karachi. There must be no doubt in our minds that problem lies not with enforcement of laws but with the laws and lawmakers.

Way Forward and Conclusion In the end, it would be prudent to revisit 1971 political turmoil when East Pakistan (A province at that time like Baluchistan) was under similar attacks. Pakistan intelligence agencies unearthed the conspiracy of political traitors in time but the judicial process and military leadership failed to punish them to make an example and result was the secession of East Pakistan. Pakistani media and diplomacy remained criminally feeble against ruthless Indian propaganda. Same is the case today; rather it has gone worse as now Indian backed elements like SAFMA are openly maligning Pakistani security forces over the Baluchistan issue. Private media has also been compromised and government controlled media on the other hand is being run by incompetent elements. Political settlement was tried in 1971 as well but it failed Pakistan because the system remained unable to punish the traitors. On the contrary; it provided time to the Indian backed Mukti Bahini to slaughter more Pakistanis in disguise of Pakistan Army. BLA is modern day Mukti Bahini and there must be no doubt about it. Politically; the PPP government is as inept as Yahya Khan’s regime was; back then. The enemy and his strategy are not similar- they are exactly identical. Did Pakistani institutions learn any lesson from 1971 debacle? Unfortunately, the answer is No. The Pakistan Army is fighting against all odds, just like it did in 1971, but it has no clue as to how to manage the media matters and perception management crisis all over Pakistan in general and in Baluchistan in particular, where every hostile asset is working obstinately to demolish the image of Pakistan Armed Forces. Judiciary is not punishing the terrorists and passing the blame to LEAs and Pakistan Army who are losing lives daily in the line of duty. PPP government is usurping Baluchistan rights and not making the changes in laws which it approved

Propaganda Warfare – Weakest link in Pakistani defense strategy

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5. If the Supreme Court did not have any reservation on in-camera briefings about the law and order situation in Karachi then why are ISI and MI not allowed to do the same in Baluchistan?

ignored.

The resumption of NATO supplies by this treacherous PPP regime has opened yet another axis for internal security. As per our reports, a civil disobedience movement is building with more intensity among the tribes in Baluchistan, FATA and Khyber who have vowed to block and burn the trucks carrying the supplies. The religious parties are also planning blockade of Peshawar and the road to Khyber Pass. Certainly, the regime has gravely miscalculated the national anger and rage over this sell off. Everyone was expecting that NATO supplies would remain closed especially after threats by Panetta and the Pentagon’s planned covert strikes inside Pakistan. PPP government is lying to the nation and trying to mislead the masses through media that only non-lethal supplies are going inside Afghanistan but in reality NATO’s missing containers were the biggest supply source of all lethal weapons being used against Pakistan both by TTP and BLA operatives and CIA including Hellfire missiles for the US drones. But after resumption of supplies CIA drone attacks have resumed as well with renewed vengeance and Pakistan is once again standing where it was on 26/11 after Salala attack and threat of complete civil war is lurking around the corner. Keeping all these developments in sight, it would be prudent to assume that the security situation in Baluchistan is going to become more volatile and complex.

A Word of Caution and Advice

The most unfortunate aspect of the current security profile is that almost all Pakistani security, judicial and political institutions are on a collision course while the enemy has advanced its agenda. A ruthless surgery of existing system is required. Administrative measures alone would not work now. Normal processes work only in the ambient of normalcy. Extraordinary times demands extraordinary measures. The following measure must be taken to handle the situation: ♦♦ A policy level decision is needed more urgently than ever before. Pakistan’s failure in devising a comprehensive strategy comprising on strong legal, judicial and administrative anti-terror laws under a decisive anti-terrorism policy is showing existential symptoms. The cure is still available but a decisive iron hand at highest level is required. ♦♦ Military courts and war rules must be provoked in Baluchistan till appropriate amendments are made in constitution to empower particular offices, both civilian and military, to combat the menace of terrorism and foreign funded insurgencies. All BLA, BRA and Jundullah terrorists must be tried in military courts. ♦♦ Although the law and order situation in Karachi is much worse than any other part of the country but through hostile media propaganda an impression is being created that Baluchistan is about to fall. Media is presenting a monster image of the Army and intelligence agencies in Baluchistan. ISPR will have to play pro-active role to trash anti-army propaganda. Pakistan has suffered in information and propaganda warfare and it is time to rethink and redraw a radical proactive media strategy. No TV channel must be allowed to air interviews of any element which does not believe in the integrity of Pakistan or is involved in terrorism and sabotage. PEMRA must act against those channels that broadcast these interviews. ♦♦ Baluchistan’s border with Afghanistan is gateway of weapons, drugs and terrorists. It must be properly mined and fenced leaving selected entry points like border with India. Helmend province of Afghanistan is the main hub of CIA’s drug labs and has turned into biggest source of narcotics supplies in the world. Open border is an open invitation for invasion under Af-Pak as well. Recent maneuvering of US aircraft carrier and growing chatter in international media about covert raids inside Pakistan by US Special Forces must not be

Baluchistan is still a manageable crisis. It has only been mishandled and mismanaged gravely, allowing the enemies to exploit the stupidity and the treachery of the regime and the naivety and inaction of the judiciary. A strong federal government is pre-requisite for any solid response strategy as no operational, tactical or strategic plan can be chalked out or deployed in the presence of this regime. So, it is clear now that in order to address the Baluchistan crisis and all other crises in the country, a regime change in Islamabad is the most necessary pre-requisite step and must be taken urgently by the Army and the Supreme Court else the collective responsibility for the national meltdown would rest on these two last standing institutions. Needless to say a demolition of the state would also bring down the army and the judiciary as well. A salvage operation can be done now. Tomorrow, the initiative will be with the enemies!

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two months ago in a high level meeting15.

About BrassTacks

1 Agencies told to produce Balochistan’s ,missing in next hearing, Daily Dawn, 20th June 2012. http://dawn.com/2012/06/20/balochistan-case-sc-resumes-hearing/

BrassTacks is a unique Independent and Private Pakistani Security Think Tank and Defence Analysis Consulting Group specializing in cutting edge and groundbreaking research on International, Regional and National Security, Political and Economic issues. Contact information is given below

2 Balochistan missing persons’ case FC involved in disappearances: SC, Daily Pakistan Observer, 21st June 2012 http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=161104 3 Balochistan unrest: Judicial panel faults foreign spy agencies, Daily Express Tribune, 10th June 2012 http://tribune.com.pk/story/391539/balochistan-unrest-judicial-panel-faults-foreign-spy-agencies/

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5 3 alleged BLA activists arrested from Karachi, Duniya TV, 7th May 2012 http://dunyanews.tv/index.php?key=Q2F0SUQ9OC NOaWQ9NzkwNjY=

House # 686, Askari Road, Opposite Askari 2 Chaklala Scheme 3, Rawalpindi Phone: 051 – 5598046-7 Cell: 0321- 5001370 http://www.brasstacks.pk

6 Ibid

About Author

4 IGFCs Balochistan story, Daily The Nation, 4th June 2012 http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaperdailyenglish-online/editorials/04-Jun-2012/igfc-s-balochistan-story

7 Balochistan killings: SC asks ISI, MI again to submit reports, Daily Dawn, 25th February 2012 http://dawn.com/2012/02/25/ balochistan-killings-sc-asks-isi-mi-again-to-submit-reports/ 8 Reconciliation efforts: Political cases against Marri, Brahamdagh withdrawn, Daily Express Tribune, 27th February 2012 http://tribune.com.pk/story/342298/reconciliation-efforts-political-cases-against-marri-brahamdaghwithdrawn/ 9 Gilani's term was worst ever in Pakistan: TIP, Daily The News, 21st June 2012 http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News13-15503-Gilanis-term-was-worst-ever-in-Pakistan-TIP 10NAB chief exceeds Transparency claims on corruption figures, Daily The News, July 01, 2012 http://www.thenews.com.pk/ Todays-News-13-15732-NAB-chief-exceeds-Transparency-claims-oncorruption- figures 11 'There is corruption in Balochistan, there is no harm in it': Ali MadadJatak, Daily Express Tribune, 11th May 2012 http://tribune.com.pk/story/377403/there-is-corruption-in-balochistan-there-is-no-harm-in-it-ali-madad-jatak/ 12 Outline of the Post-War New World Maphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outline_of_the_Post-War_New_World_Map 13 The Post War II New World Order Map: A Proposal to Re-arrange the World after an Allied Victory (Revealed By Irish Historian Thomas Moriarty) by Maurice Gomberg, Global Research, June 13, 2010 http://www.globalresearch.ca/index. php?context=va&aid=19706 14 US pushing Pak for bases in Balochistan: Report, Asia Age, 20th February 2012 http://www.asianage.com/international/uspushing-pak-bases-balochistan-report-259 15 Balochistan CM given powers to deploy FC, Daily Dawn, 30th May 2012,http://dawn.com/2012/05/30/balochistan-cm-givenpowers-to-deploy-fc/

The author is a defence and strategic analyst at BrassTacks. He can be reached at Shahzad.leo@gmail.com and can be followed on twitter @ Roomi_Pk

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End Notes