Balochistan's woes

Quetta, September 20: Pakistan's federal interior minister Rehman Malik visited Balochistan recently where he suggested that a Swat-like operation should be launched against Baloch nationalists. But then, he quickly backtracked. He identified five Baloch organizations as militant outfits and imposed a ban' on them. The organizations include-Balochistan Republican Army, Baloch Liberation Front, Balochistan Liberation United Front, Baloch Defaee Tanzeem and Lashkar-e-Balochistan. The assets of these groups were frozen as part of the Pakistan government's decision to go after Baloch nationalists. Rehman Malik wants to curb militancy in Balochistan and has said that all police powers will be transferred for three months to the Frontier Corps (FC).