The analysis scene in Pakistan over situation in Balochistan, especially the former Kalat State, is in overdrive. Most analysts lament the policy adopted by Pakistan over decades in dealing with Baloch 'grievances' and 'sense of deprivation', blaming this or that civil or military government. Some are crying hoarse that the issue has 'political solution' only, with kinetic response in the past and now being a blunder. When grilled, this segment does not have cogent solutions and suggests empowering the same tried and tested political faces-cum-militant sponsors-cum-Sardars, who are part of the problem, have remained so for years, and are squarely responsible for it. Sardar Akhtar Mengal and his father Sardar Attaullah Mengal are cases in point.

So, let us restate the problem candidly, without hiding in the sands of time, geography and ethnicity. One, the obtaining situation is an 'insurgency' limited mainly to the erstwhile Kalat State of Balochistan, with militant forays reaching out and now infecting central Balochistan and Quetta. Pashtun Belt and former Lasbella State are relatively peaceful with Kharan and Makran partially affected. Kalat, Jhalawan and Sarawan are in militant focus and hotbed of their operations.

Two, in current formulation, Sardars have become irrelevant and the insurgency is in the hands of manipulated and misled Baloch youth, educated in mainstream universities in Pakistan, or radicalised in the state-funded and rather newly-established universities in Panjgur, Khuzdar and Turbat. Their teachers subscribing to the far-right have actively aided and abetted in the process.

Three, Sardars were and are part of the problem and strengthening them again would be reinforcing failure, as this remedy has not........

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