Pakistan PM’s aide says ‘innocent people’ could be taken in custody in Balochistan crackdown

Islamabad, Feb 9 (SocialNews.XYZ) A discussion on the prevailing situation in Balochistan turned contentious after Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah suggested that innocent civilians could end up being detained during security crackdowns following militant attacks, including those reported across the province on January 31, local media reported on Monday.

Days after intense clashes between Baloch insurgents and Pakistani security forces, authorities in Islamabad initiated a large-scale crackdown across Balochistan, detaining at least 180 individuals, according to local media reports on Sunday.

Officials stated that approximately 180 people were taken into custody during coordinated security operations conducted by the Frontier Corps and police following attacks in several cities across Balochistan.

Sanaullah, who is also an aide to the Prime Minister, made the remarks while speaking at a session titled 'Is There a Political Will to Solve the Crisis in Balochistan' during the Asma Jahangir Conference on Sunday.

This follows deadly clashes between the Baloch rebels and Pakistani security forces amid the human rights crisis across Balochistan, including enforced disappearances, illegal detentions and extrajudicial killings.

The session featured a panel comprising Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) chief Akhtar Mengal and National Party leader Abdul Malik Baloch, with senior journalist Mujahid Barelvi moderating the discussion.

The controversy surfaced when Sanaullah responded to concerns raised by other speakers regarding the treatment of people from Balochistan and the demand for removing security checkpoints across the province. Addressing the issue, he argued that such measures would only be possible once violence and militancy were completely eradicated, leading Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported.

"If incidents like Jan 31 happen, then security forces will take act­ion, and there is a possibility that some of the people taken into custody could be innocent," he said.

Earlier in the session, Abdul Malik Baloch identified insurgency and enforced disappearances as the two most pressing challenges confronting the province, warning that no visible solution appeared to be in sight.

Highlighting the extent of public distress, he said, "Whenever I go to my area, four or five people come (up to me) daily, complaining about a missing person."

He urged both the state and political leadership to adopt a comprehensive strategy to address these concerns, Dawn reported.

Stressing the need for political engagement, he said, "If you deal with Balochistan as a security issue, then conditions would get worse by the day. If you involve political people and parties, then the situation may improve."

Recalling the period when he was part of the Pakistan Democratic Movement alliance, Baloch said that the coalition had agreed on several reforms, including steps to end enforced disappearances, according to the local media report.

He called for structural political reforms, transfer of provincial resources and preservation of constitutional safeguards such as the 1972 Constitution, the 18th Amendment and the National Finance Commission Award.

Opening the discussion, BNP-M chief Akhtar Mengal described the Balochistan issue as fundamentally political but alleged that successive governments had attempted to resolve it through military measures. He cautioned that continued reliance on coercive tactics could further intensify tensions in the region.

Tracing the historical background of the issue, Mengal referred to the original arrangement between the Khan of Kalat and Pakistan's founding leader, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, stating that the agreement had envisaged significant administrative autonomy for Balochistan.

He lamented that such commitments, along with subsequent agreements, were never fully implemented.

Mengal also recalled earlier periods of conflict, including military operations under different regimes, the killing of Baloch leader Nawaz Akbar Bugti and the continuing issue of enforced disappearances, which he said had deeply affected families across the province, including his own.

He criticised recent political and electoral developments, alleging that mainstream Baloch political leadership had been marginalised. He also raised concerns over restrictions on political activities, media access and civil liberties in the region.

Mengal further referred to the imprisonment of human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari-Hazir and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha, alleging that they had been jailed for 17 years over a social media post.

Meanwhile, the Balochistan government on Tuesday warned of possible legal action against relatives of individuals suspected of involvement in armed activities, a move that has drawn attention amid an already tense atmosphere in the province.

Human rights organisations and local activists have repeatedly expressed concern over such measures, noting that similar actions have been reported in the past.

They have highlighted instances where relatives and family members of individuals accused of involvement in Baloch armed groups were allegedly detained or forcibly disappeared, particularly in cases related to suicide attacks.

Reports have also surfaced in recent years involving relatives of commanders and members associated with the Baloch pro-independence organisation Baloch Liberation Army, according to The Balochistan Post.

One such case involves the brother of BLA leader Bashir Zeb, who was reported missing last year after allegedly being taken from Quetta, where he was employed. Authorities have not issued any public statement regarding the incident.

Source: IANS