Erecting statues as homages to the founding fathers of any country is an important responsibility of the state but it should be treated as a privilege that is earned. The shocking and unfortunate incident that took place in Gwadar yesterday, where Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s statue, situated on Marine Drive was blown away, either by an explosive device planted under it and detonated remotely or by a grenade hurled at it, is a perfect example of why such installations should not be built until and unless their protection and preservation can be confidently ensured at all costs. A statue of an individual with the title of ‘Father of the Nation’, is not simply some stone and metal thrown together and sculpted to look like him, it is in fact a symbol and reminder of the man’s struggle and sacrifice to carve out an independent democratic nation for his people. That the location where the attack took place was considered a safe zone, in the vicinity of the residence of the General Officer Commanding (GOC) and the office of the Deputy Inspector General, clearly indicates that there was insufficient security in the area. The outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), an anti-Pakistan terrorist outfit, that usually does not go for inanimate objects, rather live targets, has claimed responsibility for the attack, making it an act that is symbolic in nature, motivated by an innate hate for Pakistan and the foundation it was built upon.
Balochistan remains a highly volatile part of Pakistan that has neither seen the sort of stability, prosperity and peace that other provinces have. Gwadar is being developed as a port city under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that has immense strategic importance as it is considered a counter to Iran’s Chahbahar port, which is also being developed by India. It is therefore imperative that the law and order is maintained there and the BLA is a persistent menace that is sabotaging its peace. In the presence of such a threat, it is perhaps wise to avoid constructing monuments that are prone to vandalism and bomb attacks, especially when no one has specifically asked for their construction in the first place.
