Over the past four months I have made two trips to Makran and have had extended conversations with local men as well as with several defence services officers at various levels. The latter were from the navy and army. The lessons to draw are remarkable.

Most defence officers agreed that the people of Makran are simple, peaceable and friendly, that they appreciate developmental work in their district and that mischief does not come naturally to them. This would make them a community easy to work with and find acceptance from. Officers were also of the view that the insurgents causing strife from time to time infiltrated Makran from the more troubled districts of Balochistan northward.

That said, speaking to some influential locals in Gwadar showed that the presence of the Pakistan Coast Guard and Frontier Corps (FC), both paramilitary outfits commanded by officers seconded from the army, rankled universally. The grievance was the antagonistic attitude of the men and officers in these two outfits. The complaint was that they were rude and high-handed. People felt that they behaved like an occupation force.

Projects like the Makran Coastal Highway (MCH), Gwadar Port and a first-class port access road in the town, recently completed by the Frontier Works Organisation, were initially appreciated. But over time, antagonism grew until FWO builders even heard it being said that for all the people cared the army could take their road away. In a district where this is the prime access between Uthal (and by extension Karachi and Bela) and coastal towns all the way to the Iranian frontier, this rejection needs to be noted.

Conversely, since the establishment of the base at Ormara about 10 years ago, the navy has gone all out to win hearts and minds. In Ormara they now have a first-class hospital where local people are treated for free. There’s a new cadet college. There is also a high school and a college. All three educational institutions assign first priority to Makrani and Baloch children.

Just a decade ago, when the MCH was not in place, Ormara did not feature in the provincial government’s scheme of things. Children had to leave home after the eighth grade to continue school in Turbat or Karachi. Now that the navy has put its medical and educational facilities in place these institutions attract children from all over Makran.

Conversations with private individuals in Ormara and Gwadar showed that the Coast Guard and FC, being employed in law-enforcement and anti-smuggling operations, maintain a high-handed presence. In contrast, the navy is perceived as not meddling in anyone’s affairs and is easily accepted by the people.

Strangely, the army’s brains have not worked in this direction. From among the many officers spoken to, there was only a single mid-ranking officer who was worried about his organisation’s attitude. This individual suggested that when the army is placed in charge of an uplift project, especially in Balochistan, it would do well to start off with a project of public use such as a scheme for potable water or health and educational facilities. Though he did not know of the tried and tested process of Participatory Rural Appraisal, he suggested that all army initiatives should begin with such an exercise in order to bring the communities on board. What was needed in his view was a sense of ownership within the community for whatever facility the government was providing.

This was not one individual. In the villages sprinkled along the length of the MCH, I met several men who spoke highly of other officers — officers who left the area more than a decade ago and whose memory is still cherished. The one trait that set these officers apart was their amiability and their concern for the betterment of the communities they dealt with. These were men who were ready and willing to help beyond the call of duty.

We see that the navy has won friends and admirers by its work in Makran. We also see individual army officers who earned the love and respect of the Baloch. Why, then, is it impossible for the army as an institution to garner the same feeling in Balochistan?