Anti-personnel mines are munitions designed to explode through a remote control device, proximity, or contact of a person. Landmines in Balochistan pose a serious and ongoing threat to civilians. These can be found along roads, tracks, fields, deserts, railway tracks, in and around settlements and schools, and in other public places. They deny access to food, water, and other basic needs, and inhibit freedom of movement of the local inhabitants.
They also hamper the delivery of humanitarian aid. Few days back a young boy was injured while walking along a main road in Dera Bugti district. A landmine blew up near him, causing serious injury to his right leg. He is one of a growing number of victims of landmine blasts in the troubled province of Balochistan. The mines have been indiscriminately planted by the so called ‘liberation fighters’ in many areas of the Dera Bugti and Kohlu districts to target security forces and their tribal opponents. Law enforcement agencies are assisting in exploration activities in the area to create resources for the socio-economic uplift of Balochistan.
One of the worst incidents took place in April 2006, when at least 29 members of a marriage party were killed after a tractor trolley carrying these people to the town of Rakhni, hit a landmine at Gujji Nullah. Most of the victims were women and children. The bridegroom was among those injured. The route between Rakhni and the town of Bekar had been heavily mined by tribal militants loyal to the miscreants leader Brahamdad Bugti. These lethal munitions have triggered a strong sense of fear in the inhabitants of the area. They know that they are walking and working in mined areas. When land cannot be cultivated, when medical systems are drained by the cost of attending to frequent landmine casualties, and when country must spend money clearing mines rather than paying for education, it is clear that these weapons not only cause appalling human suffering, they are also a lethal barrier to development of the Province.
There is no comprehensive casualty data collection mechanism functional in the Province. Resultantly, many incidents go unreported by the media, as they generally occur in remote areas. Mine clearance is carried out by engineer personnel of Army and FC and they are reported to have conducted demining operations, clearing thousands of anti-vehicle and anti-personal mines. These mines had been laid after a dispute over the ownership of coalmines area between the Marri and Luni tribes. In the past six months alone, there have been 17 mine blasts killing 10 persons and injuring 21 in Dera Bugti district alone. Apart from this, the miscreants impose forced strikes, badly affecting the local businesses and those who do not comply with them have to face grave consequences by losing their lives, as manifested by a recent incident in Khuzdar District. These inhuman killings and sufferings are not only making the people endure the miseries but the Province to suffer as well, in terms of economic development.
The criminal elements involved in planting these mines are seldom apprehended. They feel no remorse for inadvertently targeting their tribe mates and innocent children. The landmines laid by them obviously cannot discriminate between friends and foe and innocent individuals keep falling victims. The individuals who get injured due to activation of these mines are actually worse than those who get killed. Loosing limbs and getting crippled for lifetime is definitely a bitter ordeal to bear. Should the individuals involved in planting the mines in populated areas and along roadsides be called ‘Freedom Fighters’ or ruthless criminals (who are killing their own people especially children by such devices)? Do they deserve to be called ‘humans’ at all? In addition to land mines, growing incidents of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) explosions have rendered Balochistan a dreadful region; with 1,424 terrorist incidents reported during last three years (2009-2011). The country has suffered the most through the use of IEDs by terrorists and militants as 2,073 security forces personnel & civilians have been killed in 2,053 IED attacks in Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa and Balochistan both. In case of IED attacks, the victims are again mostly innocent people. On New Year eve, an explosive laden vehicle detonated outside the house of Shafique Mengal in Quetta City. The explosion caused huge casualties i.e 15 killed and 40; injured all of them passer byes / innocent people. Imagine, the proscribed BLA accepted the responsibility of this gruesome act, celebrating it as their feat.
A number of bitter questions come to mind once we see the pictures of children, women and young people being killed and crippled by the mine blasts and IEDs in Balochistan. Unfortunately, the Province with abundant potential to develop and progress is being pushed back to “darkness” by the criminal elements. The phenomenon is resulting into orphan children and impoverished families who do not even know why such catastrophe is unleashed on them. They are the innocent sufferers of the wreck less criminal acts of the so called ‘liberation seekers’.
Prof Afraz Ahmed
Chamalang Coal Mines located near Loralai, on the Chamalang Mountain commonly known as Chamalang Coalmines. Chamalang Coal Mines project started in March 2007 by Pakistan Army and more than 53,000 people are directly employed at the coalfield while 30,000 more have found indirect employment and a local laborer can earn Rs 30,000 per month. 2,000 Marri tribesmen have been employed as guards and 1.5 M tons of coal has been excavated so far (worth approximateRs 8.23 Billion). Pakistan Army has also completed 4 Water supply schemes and a 25 bed hospital has been providing health facilities in the area.
