QUETTA: The Balochistan government has made it clear that no person is above the law because of their gender, tribe or region, and that the law applies equally to everyone in the fight against terrorism.
In a statement, the provincial government said the issue was not about women but about terrorism and the rule of law. It said rewards had been announced for verified information that helps authorities arrest wanted militants. The move was not directed against Baloch women, it added.
The statement said portraying the involvement of a few women in the proscribed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) as a popular uprising or a collective view of Baloch women was contrary to reality.
According to the Balochistan government, respect and dignity for women are fundamental values in Baloch society. It said forcing women into terrorism was not part of Baloch traditions but an exploitation of those traditions by militant organisations.
The government said the posters issued by authorities carried a clear message: anyone who takes up arms against the state and the law must face legal consequences, regardless of whether they are rich or poor, male or female.
It further said militant organisations could not evade the law by using women as shields. Nor could they claim to represent the Baloch people.
“Those involved in terrorism will have to face the law,” the statement said.
