Balochistan

The foot is squarely on the other one this time. Pakistanis are facing a similar situation like we are in Kashmir. The Balochs are demanding freedom from the shackles of Punjabi controlled Pakistani regime.
Worse. Pakistan is doing the same (bloody) mistake it did in 1971. It tried to crush the rebellion in what used to be East Pakistan with utmost ruthlessness; thus losing in the process any moral bearing it could have encashed. Though it is too early in the game today, it might not be entirely misplaced to say, Baloch is going Bangladesh way.
Pakistan surely has not learnt its lessons well. Talk of dog's tail.

Pakistan and Musharraf may be putting up a brave face, but they know too well that the situation may not be entirely under control. The danger for India is that ISI and Musharraf may try to do something funny in desperation to divert the focus from Balochistan's problem. And the best way to divert attention from domestic problem is to create problem elsewhere. Sadly that elsewhere happens to be India. In the days to come Pakistan will up its terrorist activities in India just so that the media attention remains away from its excesses in Balochistan.

In the meantime the BLA (Balochistan Liberation Army), a pool of young Balochs, is giving a hard time to the Pakistani Army. What more the struggle has got a well rounded shape with women and children joining it. It is being said that they are using M.K Gandhi's weapon of non-co-operation. We all know how hopelessly ineffective that weapon is. But what the heck, they are standing up against a ruthless dictator.
BLA off course faces an uphill task and they may not achieve anything substantial. But by bringing this rebellion out in open they have done some service to world politics.
India would do good not to burn its fingers by doing anything fancy, but may be use the same WE-WILL-GIVE-THEM-MORAL-SUPPORT-CRAP to Pakistanis and return with thanks what they have given us all along.

India can do one more thing. As B.Raman says in his article. It can embarrass the dictator's regime by asking them to involve the Baloch's in the tripartite (India, Iran and Pakistan) exploratory talks on the gas pipeline from Iran. This could really make that General red in face.

But that would be expecting too much from our Government, wouldn't it?