Below is the letter of a Pakistani-occupier’s police official to a Pakistani English newspaper. We want to just post this that what occupiers want to convey for what purpose, in an “innocent way”. By the way the letter’s title was “Balochistan insurgency: an insider speaks”.
The letter:
THIS is apropos of Kausar S. Khan’s letter, ‘Murder of five men in Quetta (July 3), in which the writer has lamented that despite the brutal murders the police have not arrested the murderers and civil society has not condemned its perpetrator, the BLA.
I want to give the readers an insider’s view of these attitudes. I had assumed the charge of Capital City Police Officer, Quetta, in 2004, when the city was under curfew in the aftermath of the killing of 43 Hazaras in one incident.
Quetta had witnessed over 200 sectarian killings during a period of one year preceding my posting. ‘Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LJ)’, and not the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), was behind these killings. The BLA had its own separate agenda of eliminating ‘Punjabi’ settlers’ in target killings and making bomb blasts at congested places to challenge the writ of the government. In just one such blast at the busy Mezaan Chowk, two dozen persons were killed.
The Quetta police took up the challenge and as a result not a single incident of sectarian attack or BLA-related killing took place during the next year.
The reason was that all sectarian killers and BLA members were arrested in coordination with the ISI and the MI.
The coordination of the police, the intelligence agencies and community leaders was such that suicidal bombers hideouts were identified and raided before they could operate.
But soon after these landmark achievements were made, the events that unfolded afforded me an opportunity to peep into the reasons as to why terrorism thrived.
I faced institutional resistance to taking my gains to their logical end. Some examples would catch the whole situation in a microcosm. I received intelligence reports that Lashkar Jhangvi was planning to ambush DSP Nisar Kazmi who was interrogating the arrested sectarian terrorists.
I tried my best to get an official house allotted to him in the Police Lines for his safety, but the police department refused it.
As a result, the DSP was attacked and critically injured, while the police killed one of the assailants in hot pursuit. The said DSP has got himself transferred to Punjab for his safety.
Sub-Inspector Shahid Raisani, who interrogated the BLA men, too applied for official quarters in the Police Lines, which was refused by the Police Department. He was gunned down by the BLA.
I myself was so demoralised due to institutional resistance and non-cooperation that I was constrained to request the then chief minister for a transfer.
The ‘Hazara’ Councilor mentioned by Kausar S. Khan is the same Talib Ali Agha who had cooperated with me in identifying the hideout of two prospective suicide bombers.
The terrorists were raided but they blew themselves up to avoid arrest. He too has paid the price for patriotism.
Taking lessons from all this, several SSPs, SPs, DSPs and SHOs who had participated in my campaign took turns to seek pardon from the BLA.
I dare them to take ‘polygram tests’ to deny my claim. That explains as to why the police are reluctant to arrest the terrorists. Civil society is always timid.
When the police are scared and demoralised, how can an unarmed shopkeeper, schoolteacher or a lawyer gather courage? Ultimately it becomes a conspiracy of silence.
Matters have become worse in Balochistan as police indifference has emboldened the terrorists. The BLA and LJ have joined hands. Due to lack of enforcement, even terrorists challenging Iranian government have set up bases in Balochistan.
Foreign interference is rampant. The demoralisation of the police has encouraged criminal gangs from as far as Kandhar in Afghanistan to freely prey upon the citizens of Quetta.
These intertwined factors, mutually stimulating each other, have created a syndrome of extraordinary force.
Dozens of Punjabi settlers have lost their lives to grenade attacks. About two dozen Punjab policemen have died in target killings. ‘Memon, ‘Parsi and’ Ismaili’ businessmen are selling their properties in Quetta at throwaway prices. Journalists are being threatened. Kidnappings are rampant.
When Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Khan Raisani took the oath, he asked me to return to the Balochistan police. I consented but told him that political commitment akin to what was exhibited by Gen Naseerullah Babar in rooting out urban terrorism in Karachi was needed.
Otherwise it would become another round of policemen and cooperating community leaders losing their lives and honour for a cause that nobody owns.
Is that commitment there? These are some 45 to 50 terrorists who are to be nabbed or killed.
RAFI AHMED PERVAIZ BHATTI
Lahore Cantt
Source:
Published by Pakistani newspaper Dawn on 6 July 2009.
July 6, 2009...9:51 pm
An officer of the occupiers speak, because he was ordered to do so
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