Balochistan [Pakistan] : In a bizarre order, the Balochistan administration has asked all government officials to set the ringback tones of their cellular phone numbers to the ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ track. The decision was taken during a meeting presided over by the chief secretary, according to the notification issued on September 29 by section officer Bahadur Khan of the provincial government’s Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD), Dawn reported. The secretaries of all departments, additional secretaries, deputy secretaries and heads of other departments concerned are required to strictly abide by the decision. It states, “The Government of Balochistan, Science and Information Technology Department has conveyed that in pursuance to the decision made in the meeting held under the Chairmanship of worthy Chief Secretary, for the setting of mobile Ring-Back Tone ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ by Administrative Secretaries, Additional Secretaries and Deputy Secretaries and head of attached Departments on their cell/contact numbers.” The controversial move has drawn criticism on social media with many questioning the need for such order. “Why aren’t we sure that Baloch brothers are more patriotic than us?” journalist Mubashir Zaidi questioned. Another journalist, Mohammad Taqi, in a veiled criticism, tweeted: “What else does a colony look like?” Balochistan is a resource-rich but least developed province of Pakistan where a movement for freedom has been ongoing for the past several decades. Many Balochs believe that the region was independent before 1947 and was forcibly occupied by Pakistan. While successive governments have promised to criminalise enforced disappearance, none has taken concrete steps and the practice continues with impunity. Recently, fighting between the Pakistan security forces and Baloch insurgents have intensified in the region.
