Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08KARACHI472
2008-08-11 06:40:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Karachi
Cable title:
BALOCHISTAN - ETHNIC VIOLENCE FORCES CLOSURE OF
how-toVZCZCXRO7495 PP RUEHLH RUEHPW DE RUEHKP #0472 2240640 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 110640Z AUG 08 FM AMCONSUL KARACHI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0576 INFO RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 0044 RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0174 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0240 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1755 RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 2555 RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 4438 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L KARACHI 000472
USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/11/2018
TAGS: SOCI PTER PK
SUBJECT: BALOCHISTAN - ETHNIC VIOLENCE FORCES CLOSURE OF
UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGES IN QUETTA
Classified By: Classified by Consul General Kay Anske for reasons 1.4 b
and d.
C O N F I D E N T I A L KARACHI 000472
USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/11/2018
TAGS: SOCI PTER PK
SUBJECT: BALOCHISTAN - ETHNIC VIOLENCE FORCES CLOSURE OF
UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGES IN QUETTA
Classified By: Classified by Consul General Kay Anske for reasons 1.4 b
and d.
1. (C) Summary: As a result of August 6 violence between
Baloch and Pashtun student groups at three educational
institutions in Quetta, the Balochistan Provincial Minister
of Education ordered the closure of one university for five
days and all colleges in the city until August 10. This was
the first major dispute between the two ethnic groups since
2000. Leaders of both ethnic student groups told Post that
GOP intelligence agencies incited the recent violence as a
means of diverting public support for a growing Baloch
nationalist movement. End summary.
2. (C) Balochistan Minister of Education Shafiq Ahmed told
Post on August 7 that he had ordered Balochistan University
to close for five days and all colleges (roughly equivalent
to junior colleges) in the city to close for three days,
effective August 7. He took this action after clashes
between members of the Baloch Students Organization-Azad
(BSOA) and the Pakhtoonkhwa Students Organization (PSO) left
22 students injured, five seriously. Baloch and Pashtun
student organizations have had an often violent rivalry in
the past, but this was the first such major incident since
2000. Shafiq predicted more violence in the future due to
escalated tensions between the ethnic groups.
3. (C) The incident started on August 6 with a dispute
between BSOA and PSO members over dormitory room allocation
at Balochistan University in Quetta. Fighting quickly spread
to include BSOA and PSO units at Government Degree College
and Bolan Medical College, both also located in the
provincial capital. The violence began in early afternoon
and lasted for about two hours. Police, who were stationed
at the campuses of all of the involved educational
institutions, did not intervene, according to some student
leaders.
4. (C) Habib Jalib, Secretary General of the Balochistan
National Party (BNP-Mengal),told Post that he held the GOP
responsible for creating tensions between the two ethnic
groups. PSO President Ahmed Jan went further and accused the
GOP of active involvement in the melee. He claimed that
outside groups joined in the attacks on Pashtun students with
the support of government "agencies," such as the
Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
5. (C) BSOA President Sana Baloch declared that his
organization was fighting to avenge a PSO attack on two of
its members in July and denied that his group was responsible
for any injuries in the current spate of violence. He
claimed that three BSOA students had later been arrested by
police as a result of a complaint filed by PSO members.
6. (C) Comment: Both BSOA and PSO leaders told Post that
they believed the GOP was attempting to divert unified public
support for the nationalist movement by exacerbating ethnic
tensions between Pashtuns and Baloch. An ongoing ethnic
conflict would also give the GOP ample reason to increase its
military presence in the province, further hampering
nationalist activities.
Anske
USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/11/2018
TAGS: SOCI PTER PK
SUBJECT: BALOCHISTAN - ETHNIC VIOLENCE FORCES CLOSURE OF
UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGES IN QUETTA
Classified By: Classified by Consul General Kay Anske for reasons 1.4 b
and d.
1. (C) Summary: As a result of August 6 violence between
Baloch and Pashtun student groups at three educational
institutions in Quetta, the Balochistan Provincial Minister
of Education ordered the closure of one university for five
days and all colleges in the city until August 10. This was
the first major dispute between the two ethnic groups since
2000. Leaders of both ethnic student groups told Post that
GOP intelligence agencies incited the recent violence as a
means of diverting public support for a growing Baloch
nationalist movement. End summary.
2. (C) Balochistan Minister of Education Shafiq Ahmed told
Post on August 7 that he had ordered Balochistan University
to close for five days and all colleges (roughly equivalent
to junior colleges) in the city to close for three days,
effective August 7. He took this action after clashes
between members of the Baloch Students Organization-Azad
(BSOA) and the Pakhtoonkhwa Students Organization (PSO) left
22 students injured, five seriously. Baloch and Pashtun
student organizations have had an often violent rivalry in
the past, but this was the first such major incident since
2000. Shafiq predicted more violence in the future due to
escalated tensions between the ethnic groups.
3. (C) The incident started on August 6 with a dispute
between BSOA and PSO members over dormitory room allocation
at Balochistan University in Quetta. Fighting quickly spread
to include BSOA and PSO units at Government Degree College
and Bolan Medical College, both also located in the
provincial capital. The violence began in early afternoon
and lasted for about two hours. Police, who were stationed
at the campuses of all of the involved educational
institutions, did not intervene, according to some student
leaders.
4. (C) Habib Jalib, Secretary General of the Balochistan
National Party (BNP-Mengal),told Post that he held the GOP
responsible for creating tensions between the two ethnic
groups. PSO President Ahmed Jan went further and accused the
GOP of active involvement in the melee. He claimed that
outside groups joined in the attacks on Pashtun students with
the support of government "agencies," such as the
Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
5. (C) BSOA President Sana Baloch declared that his
organization was fighting to avenge a PSO attack on two of
its members in July and denied that his group was responsible
for any injuries in the current spate of violence. He
claimed that three BSOA students had later been arrested by
police as a result of a complaint filed by PSO members.
6. (C) Comment: Both BSOA and PSO leaders told Post that
they believed the GOP was attempting to divert unified public
support for the nationalist movement by exacerbating ethnic
tensions between Pashtuns and Baloch. An ongoing ethnic
conflict would also give the GOP ample reason to increase its
military presence in the province, further hampering
nationalist activities.
Anske