CONCERN has always been expressed at the state of law enforcement in Balochistan, and last month’s targeted killing of 20 labourers in Turbat once again generated debate on the topic. There have been calls to extend Operation Zarb-i-Azb to Balochistan. Undoubtedly, flushing out militants should be the state’s top priority, but unless accompanied by measures to revamp the province’s law-enforcement and criminal justice systems, not much will be achieved.

Balochistan’s unique geography and its cultural diversity have rendered the task of policing the province more difficult than it is elsewhere in the country. It has extensive frontiers with Afghanistan and Iran, as well as a lengthy coastline. It shares borders with three provinces. This makes policing complex.

Balochistan Police interacts with a number of other law-enforcement agencies, though policing is primarily handled by the force and the levies. The Coast Guard, Frontier Consta­bulary and Frontier Corps (FC) are also active. For law enforcement, the province is divided into ‘A’ and ‘B’ areas. The ‘A’ area comprises some 5pc of Balochistan, and is entrusted to the police; the remaining 95pc ‘B’ area is handled by the levies. After the implementation of the Police Order 2002, the two areas were merged — all came under the ‘A’ area. But in 2010 the provincial legislature approved a bill which restored the levies in 23 districts.

Conversion of the ‘B’ into ‘A’ areas had faced resistance from tribal chiefs and lacked political ownership. Consequently, the plan became a victim of vested interests. Absenteeism among the law enforcers, their loyalty to tribal chiefs, low professional capacity, weak discipline, corruption and illiteracy badly hampered the transition.

Solutions based on technology will help the Balochistan Police.

Since the police operate only in ‘A’ areas, hardened criminals take full advantage of the situation. Such a situation warrants enhanced coordination, communication and information-sharing between police, levies and the FC.

As a consequence of a recent crackdown against militants Sherani, Loralai, Zhob and Qilla Saifullah have emerged as sensitive regions. Because of its geographical proximity to the tribal areas, Loralai has emerged as a new target area. In the Baloch belt, Noshki, Naseerabad, Khuzdar, Turbat, Gwadar, Panj­gur and Dera Bugti are the most disturbed.

Balochistan is the only province where almost all federal law-enforcement agencies are actively working, hence there is a dire need for an institutional apparatus to improve the coordination and information-sharing process.

Recently in Loralai, an FC check post was attacked by 40 militants; seven personnel were killed. In another incident, while travelling with his family in Pasni, the DPO Khuzdar was attacked. The DPO and his family escaped unhurt but two of his security guards were killed. According to tribal traditions, women and children are never attacked. But this incident shows that the ongoing militancy has also ripped through the tribal cultural fabric.

In Noshki, the motorcade of the chief justice of the Balochistan High Court was targeted with a remote-controlled device. Luckily, the judge remained unhurt. This was not the first attack on a motorcade in Balochistan. In the recent past, in Kalat and Quetta, militants have attacked the cavalcades of Nawab Zulfiqar Magsi, Nawab Aslam Raisani and Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

Luckily, in all these incidents the targets remained unhurt. Since Balochistan is a big geographical unit, targeting moving vehicles with remote-contro­lled improvised explosive devices is an ideal modus operandi for militants.

Because of recent innovations, landmines are being converted in­­to IEDs and explo­ded with remote-controlled devices. Tho­ugh the Balo­chistan Police have improved their explosives handling skills and their bomb-disposal unit is better equipped, the force is based in Quetta, whereas IED blasts warrant the establishment of bomb disposal units at the regional and district levels. The police remain without a K9 unit. Often sniffer dogs are borrowed from the military. The establishment of a K9 unit will strengthen the capabilities of the police.

Employment of technology-led solutions will also strengthen the Balochistan Police. Presently, only 32 CCTVs are installed in Quetta city. Police carried out an assessment and identified 600 points for the installation of CCTVs. Such a facility would reduce the likelihood of incidents of targeted killings, bank robberies and kidnappings.

The availability of GSM locators and access to mobile phone data record would also strengthen the police. As it is a big province, the availability of GSM locators at the regional level is key. Since Balochistan is confronted with multiple challenges, the provincial police needs to adapt its training environment and modules accordingly. The army has helped the police and facilitated anti-terrorist training. Half of the training duration should be allocated for this training.

Though at the moment the conversion of ‘B’ into ‘A’ areas seems difficult, this should be the long-term plan, considering the situation in the province. Why not plan now and start the journey towards a more secure Balochistan?

The writer is a police officer.

Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2015

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