'Intelligence failure of highest order': Pakistan media raises questions on Balochistan violence

Islamabad, Aug 29 (IANS) The recent string of terror attacks in Pakistan's Balochistan since Sunday, including the targeted killing of bus passengers after checking their ID cards, shows the violence in the restive provide has reached a new level of "lethality and reach" and the government must deal with it without further alienating its people and ensure the fulfilment of their fundamental and constitutional rights, Pakistani media said.

As Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif landed in Quetta on Thursday on a one-day visit to review the security and law and order situation in the province, editorials in leading Pakistani dailies called for a fresh approach to bring peace, while questioning the intelligence failure where militants went on a rampage with impunity.

"...the recent violence indicates an intelligence failure of significant proportions. Terrorists massacred bus passengers based on their ethnicity, while also attacking installations of security forces. And, this was not an assault in a limited area; the insurgents struck at multiple locations in the province.

"In fact, the sophistication of the attacks point to a high level of coordination and planning, possibly aided by hostile foreign forces. A full investigation, therefore, is required to unearth how terrorists were able to go on rampage, causing such high loss of life," the Dawn editorial said.

Noting that Prime Minister Sharif vowed to crack down on terrorism, while Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, reaching the province, said that the entire national leadership was “working towards a solution” to address the province’s issues, it said: "Past administrations have made similar resolves, using both carrots and sticks to ‘fix’ Balochistan. Yet, as the recent attacks have shown, the separatist threat has grown in lethality and reach, and a fresh approach is needed to bring peace to this tortured land.

"The state’s prime responsibility is to stop further violence in Balochistan and ensure that the lives of its people are secure. While the security forces pursue terrorists, it must be ensured that no innocent people are hauled up in the dragnet, and that there are no human rights violations during counterterrorism operations. If innocent people are penalised, the terrorists’ narrative will only be strengthened."

"Perhaps the administration can start by promising to ensure that the people of Balochistan have the protections guaranteed by the Constitution. Much of what ails the province is the result of the denial of fundamental rights to Balochistan’s people, and lack of holistic development - health, education, economic opportunities - reaching its people. Correcting course would require engagement with the province’s genuine representatives, who are often crowded out by pro-establishment ‘influentials’ on the province’s political stage," the Dawn editorial said.

The News, the English daily of the Jang Group, said in its editorial that the "tragic loss of so many lives in a series of attacks in Balochistan cannot simply be ignored as yet another dark chapter in an already fragile province’s history".

"The issues at hand are deeply rooted in history, with a complex web of grievances, armed insurgencies, and distrust between the people and the state. So what can be the way forward," it asked, and called for "a decisive and sustained crackdown on terrorist organisations like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)" with all available resources - military, intelligence, and law enforcement.

"However, this crackdown must be conducted with precision, ensuring that innocent civilians are not caught in the crossfire, as any collateral damage could exacerbate the very grievances that fuel such insurgencies," it warned.

The News editorial also underlined that the "coordinated nature of such attacks, targeting civilians and security forces alike, also suggests a level of planning and execution that warrants a much more thorough investigation".

While seeking improved inter-agency cooperation and deploying advanced technology to preempt and prevent future attacks, it also reiterated that the state "must ensure that counterterrorism operations do not further alienate the local population".

The state must engage in dialogue with Baloch nationalist leaders who represent the true aspirations of the Baloch people, it said, adding that this dialogue should be aimed at addressing their grievances, particularly those related to political autonomy, resource distribution, and human rights.

It also noted that the root of Balochistan’s unrest "lies in a deep-seated trust deficit between the province’s residents and the state" and the "distrust has been cultivated over decades", given Balochistan "remains a stark example of unfulfilled promises".

Calling on the government to prioritise development projects that create jobs, improve infrastructure, and provide essential services like healthcare and education, it said "accountability must also be a cornerstone".

"This means not only bringing the perpetrators of violence to justice, but also ensuring accountability for any human rights violations committed in the province," it said.