Pakistan views Sindh, Balochistan as threat to its identity, says ex US envoy Haqqani
Nov 03, 2020
London [UK], November 3 : Former Pakistan Ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani said that Pakistan does not want to acknowledge Sindh and Balochistan as they view those who want to maintain their identity as a threat to the nation.
"Sindh has a history that dates back several centuries -- so does Balochistan. Instead of acknowledging that there is a new state but old nations live in it, the state of Pakistan has decided that it does not want to acknowledge the existence of old nations and nationalities that constitute contemporary Pakistan," he said at the 32nd International Conference on Sindh on Sunday.
The former Pakistani ambassador added that Islamabad's lack of acknowledgment creates a problem for those who "want to maintain their identity" as Sindhis, Pashtuns, Punjabis, Baloch are seen as a threat.
"The state of Pakistan is an authoritarian state and a national security state. The problem with the ideological construct of the state is that anybody who has a question or does not toe the line is seen as threatening the state. The whole notion of the state is based on a historical accident," he added.
Haqqani said that the "proud history" of Sindh and Balochistan is not being taught in Pakistan and added that what is going on in Pakistan is an "attempt to eradicate identity". "All the divisive elements, human rights violations and efforts to try and subjugate Sindh economically and politically are a part of a big project which is trying to project an ideology that is not organic," he added.
Enforced disappearances of hundreds of Sindhis have been a cause of concern for the Sindhi community. While interacting with the media recently, some of the victims' families narrated how they were brutally thrashed before their respective members were forcibly taken away.
Frequent protests are being held in different cities and towns of Sindh province to highlight the atrocities committed by the security agencies in the knowledge of the federal government.
