MUNIR AHMED
Bardasht NGO arranged a dialogue on the law and order situation in Balochistan and a vigil for Dr Baqir Shah, the courageous police surgeon who was brutally murdered in Quetta for speaking truth regarding the Kharotabad incident.
Senator Mahabat Khan Marri speaking on the occasion said the previous governments only obliged a few heads of the tribes in Balochistan who intentionally kept the people deprived of their rightful. Now, the deprivations have accumulated to the extent that has created the present law and order situation. “Not only Islamabad, the top leadership of the province also equally responsible for the present situation that exploited the resources to become rich. There had been no monitoring and accountability of the resources provided by the federal government.”
He was the view that now it is very difficult for an ordinary political worker to contest elections and win. The common people are peaceful and flag-carrier of Pakistan which are threatened by a minority of five per cent. The situation the province could improve if the extremists are over-powered, and by putting a check on the external elements harbouring the terrorist activities in the province.
The mass media, he suggested, can play role in bring about a change in the behaviours of those creating problems in the province.
Senator Surriya Amir-ud-Din, advisor to President on Balochistan, said half of the Quetta city population has migrated to Islamabad and other cities in Punjab and Sindh. Mostly Punjabi and Hazara people are the target who are asked to leave the province. “They had spent decades in building up their businesses and properties. Now they are being forced to leave the province. Many of the educationists and business people have been killed and have vacated because of threats to their lives.”
She said she has also been living in Islamabad after they had received threats for raising voice against the violation of human rights. She urged the people to come forward to restore peace in the province.
Senator Nilofar Bakhtiar, Chairperson Bardasht, in her opening remarks said her NGO was a forum for dialogue to promote peace, harmony and understanding among the people from different part of the country. “We encourage civil society and media to voice for consensus on the differences and to find unity in diversity. We need to honour the courage of people like Dr Baqir Shah and all those who sacrificed their lives for the truth.”
The seminar concluded with a set of recommendations. The participants demanded immediate restoration of basic rights for the people of Bolochistan, an independent trial of Dr Baqir’s murder.
A recommendation was to confer a civil or a Presidential award to Dr Baqir for his courage, and to rename a road in Islamabad in his name.
The participants also demanded complete facilitation and movement for media person covering Balochistan issue, and hurdle-free movement of civil society representatives in Balochistan for people-to-people contact. Human rights activist voiced for immediate withdrawal of army and Frontier Constabulary from Bolochistan as a solution to the present crisis in Bolochistan.
Published in daily Dateline Islamabad, Jan 6, 2012
http://www.dateline.com.pk/epaper/index.php?date=2012-01-06&page_no=5
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