As the gender-based violence is on the rise in the country, the human rights organizations, have decried the impunity to criminals invol ed in the heinous practices. At a rally staged in protest against the Bhakran incident of murders, the protest march participants organized by the Aurat March, called change of mindset and strict action against the perpetrators of gender-based and other violence acts. The  Protest March was held  by the Aurat March in collaboration with a number of  civil society organisations, in front of Karachi Press Club (KPC) to not only mourn the victims of Bhakran incident but also the plights of the families of missing persons and also mourn the lives of all those who lose their lives due to law of jungle in this province. They also raised their voices for the families of the missing persons and decried the acts of forced disappearance as well in the province where violence is rampant in all its forms.

This is very unfortunate that Balochistan province is once again in the news for negative reasons.  This time, the incident involves the unearthing of private jail and the outcry against this Bakhran incident where  three bodies of a family were found, which is a reflection on the lawlessness prevailing. In fact, there seems to be no writ of the state prevailing when it comes to good governance in Balochistan. As per latest report, two more persons of the same victim family are still missing as reported by  Muhammad Marri, husband of the victim woman and father of the two victim boys, who bodies were found from  a well in Bhakran.

Meanwhile, the Balochistan Communication and Works Minister Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran, who is police custody in connection with this heinous crime, was remanded for ten more days to police for investigation.  Moreover, there is yet another twist to the case as Khetran has denied his involvement in the case and the initial probe report also says that the body of woman who is claimed to be Marri's wife aged 40, is still unidentified and the body of a women recovered is around of 18 years of age. So this dilemma also needs to be unearthed. The victim family’s head Khan Muhammad Marri, has also informed the  investigation team that his wife and sons were kept as captives in a private jail run by Khetran, , adding that five more of his children, including his 13-year-old daughter, were still languishing there. However, confusion persists on the identity of the victims after a coroner has revealed that the woman’ victim, who was earlier identified as Marri's wife, is aged 18 while Murree’s wife was 40.

So this aspect also needs to be clarified. One way to verify the identity is to allow the victim's lady's husband and victims young men's father to meet his remaining children who were rescued from the same private jail so that the identification issue is resolved. We are living in 21st century and such incidents of presence of private jails by the influential speak volume of the situation. Clearly, the Govt and those at the helm of affairs of provincial government should not ignore the level of lawlessness in Balochistan province, where all sorts of cruality is at its peak.

On the one hand, the Baloch separatists funded b Modi Govt are active while on the other hand, the terrorists groups including the TTP have regrouped themselves after the Fall of Kabul to Taliban in August 2021 and are now striking at will in the province. The issues of forced disappearances and missing persons is also a dilemma while the women's rights situation is also very dismal as is evident from the increasing number of gender-based violence cases and this latest incident of private jail reveals yet another aspect of the cruelties being perpetrated in the volatile province. The Federal and the provincial GOvts should ensure steps so that the rights situation is improved in the province.

Alienating the citizens of the volatile province should not be an option as the Baloch separatists and the militants groups can take benefit of the situation. It may be mentioned here that the Baloch separatists and other militants groups are being funded by India to sabotage the CPEC project, which is a game-changer for Pakistan. So the Government should ensure steps that lawlessness is controlled in the province so that the anti0-state elements like the Baloch separatists cannot take benefit of the situation. On the other hand, it is a fact that the residents of the Balochistan do not have proper access to potable water, electricity, and other basic needs like education and employment. That's why a sense of deprivation prevails among them. In this backdrop, it is high time the state should give a sympathetic ear to their just demands and ensure steps to end deficiencies in delivery of basic services so that the area people can live in peace in an atmosphere free of fear and also have access to basic amenities of life and their livelihood sources are also remain safe.

Published in The Daily National Courier, February, 25 2023

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