ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks on Balochistan may have achieved little on the ground but Baloch activists and independent analysts say they have brought the unrest in Pakistan’s largest province into focus once again.
But the Pakistani media has, by and large, stayed away from discussing the human rights situation in Balochistan, including the issues of thousands of “missing persons” or victims of enforced disappearances.
Modi stirred up a storm when he said at an all-party meeting on August 12 that Pakistan would have to answer for “atrocities” in Balochistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Three days later, Modi said during his Independence Day speech that people from Balochistan and PoK had thanked him for raising the issue.
M Ali Talpur, who has chronicled the kidnapping and killing of people from Balochistan following an army operation, said the Pakistani media has at least started mentioning Balochistan.
“This is good, irrespective of what they are saying,” he said.
For Talpur and many other activists, the most frustrating aspect is that the “mainstream media would not talk about the kidnappings and killings of innocent people in Balochistan for fear of reprisals by the army”.
{{/usCountry}}For Talpur and many other activists, the most frustrating aspect is that the “mainstream media would not talk about the kidnappings and killings of innocent people in Balochistan for fear of reprisals by the army”.
{{/usCountry}}But after the references by Modi, “people have once again started talking about the issue”, he added.
Mama Qadeer, who also highlights the cause of Baloch “missing persons”, said Modi’s speech “helped draw international attention to the plight of the Baloch people at a time when there are so many such tragedies taking place in different parts of the world”.
Pakistan has said Modi crossed a “red line” by talking about Balochistan. It also accused him of raising the issue to divert attention from the unrest in Kashmir that has claimed more than 60 lives. Balochistan chief minister Sanaullah Zehri dismissed Modi’s remarks and there were protests in the province against his speech.