Momin Manzoor
Balochistan has been in the shadows of trouble for more than a decade which kept it far from normal. Balochistan has been marked by continued separatist insurgency, terrorism and religious extremism. Given the deteriorating law and order situation people have been at the receiving end. Consequently, kidnapping for ransom, drug smuggling, land grabbing and other anti-social and criminal activities have mushroomed amid the given lawlessness scenario. In this agitated situation of the said province, the anti-social elements like Drug smugglers, criminals and land mafias have successfully made benefits out of abysmal situation of province.
Balochistan, with rugged mountains and deserts sharing a long porous border with Afghanistan and Iran alongside Arabian sea , serves as transit routes for drug dealers ;and it is dent of drug couriers from where every sort of hazardous opium being sent on to the world.
These elements are very powerful and firmly entrenched in society. They have politicians, bankers and bureaucrats under their payroll. But the worrying point is that these anti-social elements have made an entrance into political arena as they want their existence in society under a different title. Thereupon only politics is the best option for them to do that. But here doing politics requires deep pockets which these elements have already possessed. The entry of non-political personages into politics is not a harbinger to the nation’s prosperity and wellbeing. Politics is a serious subject that affects the lives of millions of people. The betterment of a society and country totally depends on its healthy and constructive politics. The mafia turned politicians may prove Frankenstein monster to devour their own creator and nation as well. It is all too obvious they do not bother to devise advantageous policies for province and country, and see their self-interests and benefits instead serving the people. Joining the politics typically drives them lust for power, prestige, status, and authority.
Furthermore, Politics can bring them manifold gains in shape of doing unhindered corruption. Resultantly, this thing boomerangs on the national politics. Firstly, it creates a sense of despondency among people that their feelings and sentiments are not being given due regard as they deserve to be represented by their true representatives in the main stream politics and legislative bodies. Secondly, the prevailing corruption causes development held back. People remain poor and will prone to extremist activities. All such effects can also be witnessed in Balochistan where people are despondent and their development has largely been held back, caused by nonpolitical personages. Another factor is insurgency which stifled the development of the province. Appropriate and proper development is only plausible when genuine political process has been given a chance to take roots and flourish. If outlanders try to poke their noses in it, resultantly, people may abandon meagre hope of being able to enter or becoming part of national politics.
For many years, these mafias are controlling most of political positions in the province. For this reason, most of political parties do not carry any commitment in their manifestos to fight the drug abuse. It is an insurmountable challenge for them to have an audacity to dare the drug lords and put an end to Drug abuse.
In this particularity, on 15th May, a seminar was conducted under the Auspicious of social welfare department Quetta wherein all provincial political parties were invited for the purpose of the inclusion of pledge in their manifestos in view of fighting this menace as the general elections in the country are around the corner. Let see how they are true to their words in carrying this pledge in their campaign and implement it with letter and spirit when they will come into power.
The question is who introduced mafias into politics, for that, who should be blamed? If the Pandora box is opened what will happen. Many so-called irreproachable notables will prove guilty. Whereas even nationalist personalities are in cahoots with drug dealers and take formers’ precious suggestion in their political affairs.
It is more advisable that induction of drug dealer in politics must be discouraged at all event. Things will not change unless the political activists and parties fix its own fundamental and slogan in view of putting the house in order. Angels will not descend to help or salvage them in doing so. Fight the drug phrase should be part or clause of every political party’s manifesto, especially of Balochistan where drug consumption is prolific, to discourage the admission of drug lords in politics. Unity and harmony is the foremost thing to develop amongst different political parties. They must take control of their political destiny through unity, mutuality and cohesion.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article are those of the author and Balochistan Voices not necessarily agrees with them.
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