In a major policy shift Indian Prime Minister Narendra
Modi made references of Pakistani atrocities in Balochistan and PoK twice in
three days. First, he stressed in all party meeting held in New Delhi to discuss
present turmoil in Kashmir, that it is appropriate time to raise the issue of
human rights violations, abductions and killings of innocent citizens in
Balochistan and PoK on international platforms. Then in his annual Independence
Day speech on August 15, he thanked people of Balochistan and PoK for thanking
him.
For observers and journalists it was unprecedented to
hear about Balochistan
Let’s analyze Pakistani media’s reaction to
Balochistan reference in Modi’s speech.
 |
| Sabeen Mahmood Baloch Rights activist |
*** Leading Pakistani English daily Dawn (http://www.dawn.com/ ) and The Express Tribune
(http://tribune.com.pk/ ) preferred to
ignore Modi’s speech
*** Daily The International News (www.thenews.com.pk ) wrote editorial with
title “Empty posturing”. The editorial is dedicated to prove that references of
Balochistan in Modi’s speech are aimed at running away from unrest in Kashmir
and its atrocities in Indian Kashmir.
*** The Express- Urdu daily (http://www.express.com.pk/ ) wrote
editorial with title “Bharat ki Ishtaal Angeji” means India’s provocation.
First part of editorial is dedicated to President’s speech narrating successes
of Pakistan’s Operation Zarb-e-Azab in NWFP against Pakistani Taliban. Second
half of editorial is dedicated to Indian Kashmir and ongoing unrest and
agitations in it. Indian Forces using all
*** Pakistan Observer (www.pakobserver.net ) published
editorial with title “Activate back channels with India”. As always it
dismissed unrest in Balochistan as game plan of Indian Spy agency RAW and also
rejected PM Modi’s statement that Balochistan wants freedom as ploy to divert
attention from Kashmir unrest.
Interestingly the paper stressed the need to open up
dialogue box to solve all contentious issues.
The
Baloch Activists Reactions
As expected Baloch activists reacted positively to PM
Modi’s Balochistan comments on August 15. Hammal Haider Baloch leader of The Baloch
National Movement welcomed Modi’s statement and expressed that India shoulf
raise the issue of Human Rights violations in Balochistan to UN.
Another prominent voice of Baloch movement Naela Qadri
Baloch, the World Baloch Women's Forum president said that now India will raise
the issue of Balochistan human rights to UN Security Council.
Indian Media
on Modi’s Balochistan comments
Surprisingly Indian media scored self-goal on Modi’s
Balochistan comments. The baseline of almost all Indian newspapers today is that,
with such unnecessary statements on internal matters of Pakistan, India offered
Pakistan golden opportunity to peep into India’s internal issues. But my real
question to Indian media is that, did Pakistan wait for Modi’s Balochistan
statement to peep in India’s internal matters? Pakistan has always reacted sharply
to Godhra riots, scores of Hindu- Muslims riots, so called biased behavior with
Indian Muslims and most importantly on Kashmir issue.
In such scenario, India lost numerous opportunities to
reply Pakistani diplomatic assaults in “Tit for Tat” manner. And at present
when Pakistan has crossed all diplomatic limits in praising Burhan Wani and
Kashmir unrest, India must hit Pakistan where it pains most and i.e.
Balochistan and PoK.
With India officially raising Balochistan issue,
Pakistani military hawks and their political puppets are confronting to bitter
truth and stark reality that Pakistan has much more to hide from world in
Balochistan where almost 40,000 Baloch people are mysteriously missing and
supposedly killed by Pakistan’s Frontier Corps (FC) and Pakistani Army. One can
find the whole verified data on Missing Balochs at http://www.bygwaah.com/
So, let’s talk about Balochistan and PoK!
