Lessons yet to be Learnt

Raising the country's flag and even singing state anthem in schools became a crime for the separatists. Inter-provincial hatred escalated and killings of specifically Punjabis became common in a part of our country which we once called East Pakistan.

If we look back in time to see what Balochs were demanding that led to separatist movement and violence in the province, it would be easy to pin point that they were just asking for respect and equal rights. It is a bitter truth that the residents of Pakistan's most resourceful and least populated province are still living in the dark ages in the 21st century.

The Balochs, despite being fewer than the population of a single Pakistani city Karachi, are living without basic facilities such as access to proper health care, education, electricity, water and gas supply, despite being the key provider of many of these resources such as gas, coal, copper, gold and numerous other precious resources.

Born after creation of both Pakistan & Bangladesh I still carve for answers as to why did we lose one part of our country? Was it an outside hand as it is always involved or was it RAW and MOSAD who hatched conspiracies or was it something else.

Ethnic cleansing of Balochs and ruthless killing of minorities (Shias, Christians etc) was going and is still going on against the violation of international laws but the whole world, so called champions of democracy, so called champions of democracy and so called “Insaf Pasand Party” are silent and even the civilian government of Pakistan was not and is still doing anything to stop the carnage.

That also gives me the answer to the same question about Bangladesh. Reading Hammid ur Rahman commission report and other accounts as to what happened in 1971 across the country, makes me realize that there are thousands who have now become mothers and grandmothers, who were raped by the same people who had taken oath to protect them and the men who declared that they were Muslim brothers.

It is also a shame that the institution which has to give justice to ordinary citizen; remained quiet at the time of barbaric killing or ordinary Bengalis and still don’t give any heed to sectarian target killing whether ashura procession Karachi bombing in 2009 or killing of Hazara community.

It is said by many analyst that Pakistan rightly owns an apology to Bengali families who faced the ruthless and barbaric force of Government of Pakistan. I would say it’s time that the Government should learn from the past mistakes and render an apology to sectarian & religious minorities, to families which fell victim to operation carried out in Karachi in 90’s and to people of Balochistan who were not and still are not involved in any sort of activity against interest of Pakistan.

Long Live Pakistan