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Forced 'Martyrs' of Balochistan – Mothers & Daughters!
  • Forced Martyrs of Balochistan
    Forced Martyrs of Balochistan
Everyone is aware of the struggle of Balochistan for freedom from the clutches of indifferent & partial Pakistan. Ever since, we were forced to be a part of a nation that we never wanted to be with, the Balochs have been oppressed and suppressed by the Foreigners' who claim to be our safeguards. Under the pretext of 'brotherly love', the love exists only for our natural resources and not us Balochis, we are left to languish in the realms of uncertainty and ignorance.

Of all the sins being committed in Balochistan by Pakistan, perhaps the greatest sin is of 'killing' of the mothers & daughters. Of all the rights of a female, perhaps the greatest is to be a mother and take the future forward for the entire human kind. What if these future bearing 'mashals' were left to extinguish, so that the legacy of a nation cannot be carried forward. The future will be wiped out!

Some says numbers speaks for themselves! Let us have a look at them. In 2014, females constituted 35.2% of the total population of Balochistan which stood at around 33M. Balochistan's Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) stands at a staggering figure of 785/100,000 i.e. 785 mothers die during pregnancy. While the Pakistan's MMR is about 1/5th at 178/100,000.
Why there is such a huge difference, one is left to wonder. The figures for Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in Balochistan is 158/1000, compared to Pakistan's IMR rate which is 97/1000. Again the rate is almost double here.
Not just these fearing numbers, but also the malnutrition ratio is at alarming levels in Balochistan.
Time and again there has been calls for nutrition emergency, but to no avail, as the Pakistani think tank doesn't care about the lives of the mothers and children of Balochistan.
But what could be the reasons behind these heart-wrenching numbers? The female education in the whole province is only 26% and in tribal areas it is as low as 2%, we can safely say they are illiterates. When there will be no education how can one expect these mothers to know how to keep their children alive in this hostile environment. There is a dearth of doctors here, as there is only one doctor for every 5638 Balochis and one dispensary on 35467 people. Staggering! Not enough hospitals to treat patients and everyday 15 children are dying to due to the declining health facilities and nutrition.
The Maternal & Child Health (MCH) care and Rural Health Care (RHC) are politically influenced in Balochistan and of no use to public. The RHC in Tehsil Gandawah of Jhal Magsi is the prime example as it is constructed in area where no drinking water is available. On other hand RHC Mashkay was functional before 2013 earthquake, now its building is collapsed but the staff is being paid and exchequer is bearing the cost. RHC in Mirwah Naseerabad, Bagh, Mithari and Kot Raisani in Kachhi Bolan, Kohlu, Dera Bugti, Kalat, Sherani, Musakhail along with other 89 MCH centers and RHC services are not on the satisfactory side either. When there are no proper health care centres for the mothers and children of Balochistan, how does one look at the future with optimism.
The astounding figures above are a result of lack of will of Pakistan in the development of Balochistan. Balochistan produces 45% resources and feeds Pakistan but our own mothers are left dying and children are left malnourished! How inhuman and blind can Pakistan be? In-spite of the fact that Balochistan contributes the highest of all the provinces in Pakistan, all we get in return is highest MMR & IMR, hepatities, cancer, malaria and poverty.
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