Clerics call for justice, transparent probes to address Balochistan unrest

Balochistan [Pakistan] February 19 (ANI): Religious scholars categorically stated that violence offers no remedy to Balochistan's deepening crisis, urging the state and aggrieved stakeholders to resolve disputes through dialogue and constitutional means.
The remarks were made at a joint press conference following a seminar titled "Restoring Peace in Balochistan and Confidence-Building: The Institutional Responsibilities of Ulema and Mashaykh," as reported by Dawn.
According to Dawn, prominent clerics, including Maulana Dr Ata ur Rehman, Allama Muhammad Juma Asadi, Maulana Anwar-ul-Haq Haqqani and Qari Abdul Rehman Noorzai, stated that sustainable peace depends on justice, reconciliation and mediation rather than coercive measures. They pressed the government to ensure transparent investigations into all cases of enforced disappearances. Those proven guilty, they said, must face open trials, while innocent detainees should be freed immediately.
The scholars warned that Balochistan stands at a decisive crossroads. One direction, they cautioned, leads toward complete estrangement, while the other lies in a constitutional struggle for rights and dignity. The clerics traced the roots of the present turmoil back to the 2006 killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti, describing it as a pivotal event whose aftershocks continue to destabilise the province, Dawn reported.
Highlighting widespread frustration among youth, the religious leaders called for greater economic inclusion. They demanded that locals be given employment opportunities and a meaningful share in Gwadar's development, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects, and mining ventures, Dawn reported.
A substantial portion of revenue generated from provincial resources, they argued, must be channelled toward local welfare and infrastructure. The scholars also alleged that foreign elements exploit internal grievances to foster division and weaken regional stability, particularly in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran, as highlighted by Dawn.
Among the recommendations put forward at the seminar were transparent provincial elections, expansion of technical and vocational education, regulation of border trade, elimination of drug and trawler mafias, empowerment of the Human Rights Commission, and the formation of a reconciliation council comprising respected ulema and community figures, as reported by Dawn.
Reaffirming their commitment, the clerics declared that Balochistan's religious leadership stands ready to shoulder responsibility for peace-building, insisting that dialogue and justice remain the only viable path forward, as reported by Dawn. (ANI)