Nationalists skeptical about cantonment decision

QUETTA, Sept 8: Nationalist and political parties in Balochistan have expressed mixed views over the decision of putting on hold work on setting up cantonments in the province.

They welcomed the announcement, but feared the establishment would not allow the government to implement the decision. According to them, it is just an assurance to the chief minister and no formal announcement has been made by the federal government.

Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo, senior vice-president of the National Party, said: “It is a good decision, but atrocities committed by security forces against the Baloch people may offset the impact of this decision.”

He said that successive governments had not paid any heed to the demand by political parties of Balochistan for abandoning the cantonment plan.

The decision, taken after the killing of Nawab Bugti in an army operation, was belated, Mr Bizenjo added.

“Atrocities by security forces were our main concern. They are killing and arresting people without any justification,” he told Dawn.

He said that forces should be withdrawn, the operation stopped and missing people should be produced before courts without further delay.

He said that the Pakistan People’s Party claimed to be a democratic party, but after coming into power it had not brought any change to Balochistan.

The acting president of the Balochistan National Party (Mengal), Dr Jahanzeb Jamaldani, said the “establishment would not accept the decision of the political government”.

The announcement was an attempt to appease the Baloch people, but they would not back out of the struggle for their rights, Dr Jamaldani said. “There is no need for a new cantonment because there were already several cantonments in the province.”

The provincial president of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Usman Kakar, said his party had been opposing the establishment of military garrisons in the province.
“There is a need to launch mega development projects, set up educational and heath care institutions and provide other basic amenities to the people of the province.”

Mr Kakar said that Baloch and Pashtoon areas should be developed on an equal basis. He said that plans to set up cantonments in Chamalang and Pashtoon areas should also be abandoned and Quetta cantonment should not be expanded.
( this news appeared in The Dawn, Sept 9)