27TH MARCH IN BALOCHISTAN
ALI SUKHANVER
Have you ever been to the Capital of Balochistan Quetta? If not; you have really missed a paradise on earth with a lot of mesmerizing beauty. The kindness, the hospitality, the care and the love, enriched with innocently sincere smile of the local people simply adds to the charismatic attraction of this paradise. Moving along the Hanna Lake, at the distance of 156 Km from Quetta one reaches the beautiful Ziarat Valley, known all over the world for The Ziarat Residency. It is the place where the founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam, Muhammad Ali Jinnah spent the last two months and ten days of his life. This wooden-structured building was constructed during the British Raj in 1892 and was originally designed as a sanatorium before being converted into the summer residence of the agent of the Governor General. On 15 June 2013, this building of great national importance was targeted with rockets. The building was nearly demolished as a result of this attack. A local policeman, Bijjar Baloch also lost his life while trying to protect the building against the terrorist’s attack. The terrorists also removed the flag of Pakistan from the monument site, replacing it with a BLA flag. Later on the Militants belonging to the Balochistan Liberation Army claimed the responsibility of this cowardly attack. After the attack, thousands of local residents of Ziarat carried out a protest and chanted slogans against the BLA. One could feel an air of gloominess all over the atmosphere after the incident. That was really a moment when the real face and popularity of the so-called separatist organization in Balochistan was exposed to the world.Read More »27TH MARCH IN BALOCHISTAN