In an announced “Hard State”, law stands weakened, compromised and, almost, dissolved. For years, law remained a mystery in Balochistan. For the rest of Pakistan, it is, in the fresh wave, at the verge of collapse. But it does not seem to bother those in power, because they are in the delusion of ‘always being in power’. But history witnesses, they are destined for worse consequences. Then again, it has less remained in the concerns of the indigenous people in Balochistan. Because everyone, who stands in power, is going to deal with further barbarism to them – a condition for coming into power, or nevertheless, on the seats, in the Balochistan Assembly or on the seats of Balochistan in the parliament.
The recent ‘legislative developments’ in Balochistan have been the best examples of how the people here, particularly the Baloch, have been treated worse than one can assume. For instance, the judgement made by an ‘Anti-Terrorism Court’ (ATC) Judge in Quetta in the case of Dr. Mahrang Baloch is full of legal and material contradictions, yet two of the nominees, Dr herself and Sibghat Ullah Shah Jee were sentenced life imprisonment (the same is challenged in Balochistan High Court).
The legal and material contradictions included basic principles which a civilian even would understand: for example, the faceless trial is itself against Article 10-A of the Pakistan’s Constitution, including the violation of accused persons’ right to know the witness, cross-examine accordingly and satisfy themselves that the witness was not being supported by someone else around him; keeping a state counsel without the authority of the accused persons is illegal which was the situation of the ibid case; making a decision within 4 days without summoning an important witness; lodging two different FIRs for the murder of one person on different dates and the same being entertained; and so on.
The irregularities do not end. The government, along with the Law Enforcing Agencies (LEAs) have consistently been denying illegal arrests – as termed as Enforced Disappearances – but then on assembly floor, the same officer-bearers do not only endorse them but also table ‘anti-constitutional’ bills and get them approved as laws, such as the “establishment of Deradicalization Centers” where the LEAs would arrest people and keep them there for at least 90 days – subject to extension – without producing them before any formal court of law for “de-radicalizing them”. No one, unfortunately, no one asks under what authority their guilt is proven that they are to be ‘de-radicalized’? Similarly, the so-called “Anti-Terrorism Act” Balochistan amendment included Section 11EEEE under which the LEAs could detain a person merely based on suspicion for at least 90 days. And then we keep chanting that “accused is not criminal unless proven so” or “the accused is the favorite child of the court”. Conclusively, Baloch are an exception to laws in Pakistan.
Ordinary Baloch have lost faith in the laws. The government realizes it too, but for the sake of their seats, they continue to work as warlords. If things continue to run very same, soon the things heat up to a point of destruction.