Arrests of Baloch leaders and siege of towns “gifts” of Balochistan package: AIM

QUETTA: The Anjuman-e-Itehad-e-Marri, a powerful nationalist group of Balochistan, has termed the recent arrest of Baloch leader Abdul Ghaffar Langove and the siege of New Kahan locality in the outskirts of Quetta by the security forces as the ‘gifts’ offered by the federal government to the people of Balochistan under its recently announced Balochistan package.

A spokesman for the nationalist group said the government was dispatching more troops in Balochistan contrary to its promise to withdraw forces from Balochistan. A clear demonstration of such military maneuvering was seen recently when heavy contingent of forces laid a siege of the Marri town of New Kahan.

“The latest developments have come as an indictment to the ruling class that is making void claims of improving the situation in Balochistan. The government has rightly started implementing the Balochistan package by, ironically, besieging the Marri town and then kidnapping Abdul Ghaffar Langove from a Karachi hospital,” charged the spokesman.

He said the Baloch people were not expecting to get developed from the “hungry forces” that even did not refrain from harming the cattle that belongs to the Baloch families. Chief Minister of Balochistan Nawab Mohammad Aslam Raisani and his team are trying to become more loyal to the federal government than what they are paid for.

“We believe all those Baloch leaders are equally guilty and culpable who are a part of the government during which the homes of Baloch masses are being searched and civilians are being humiliated at check posts. Baloch leaders who keep travelling to Islamabad and Rawalpindi to become a part of the conspiracy to carry out the genocide of the Baloch people can never be forgiven by the nation,” warned the spokesman.

Expressing anger over the condescending attitude of the Frontier Corps towards the Baloch citizens, the spokesman said the FC had established check posts on five roads that connected Hazar Ghanji area to New Kahan, which now shows a Gaza Strip like picture due to heavy deployment of armed forces.

“Baloch children are stopped and asked ridiculous questions like whether they are Marris or Muslims. The pictures of Baloch leaders are removed on the top of the books the Marri kids carry in their hands. They also forcefully remove the pictures of great Baloch leaders and the flag of Balochistan from different places,” he observed.

The spokesman added that Balochs would never suffice with packages and economic incentives provided to them by the federal government. “Balochs will continue to struggle until the attainment of Baloch independence,” he said