The news of the devastating earthquake in Balochistan which killed hundreds and made thousands homeless brought to the international spotlight, a glimpse of a province which has been exploited rather than rewarded for the benefits that it has accrued upon us all, with pictures of the weak-structured houses sprawled across the newspapers worldwide.
The government has in the past provided little resources towards social welfare of its inhabitants in comparison with other provinces. People in Balochistan rightly blame the federal government for their plight and point out that the benefits derived from the province's natural wealth have not been returned to it. This province is the richest in natural resources, including gold, silver, copper, oil, natural gas, iron ore and uranium. It supplies natural gas to the whole of the country yet three quarters of the province does not have the access to natural gas. Sui is the area from where natural gas is being supplied but Sui is the one of the worst affected areas of military operations since long. The Government of Pakistan pays a meager percentage of the total income from natural resources as royalty to Balochistan, much of it ending up with the few but powerful chieftains, many of whom are oblivious of the plight of the ordinary people and social development and uplift of Balochistan and spend little for this cause.
Baloch people also suffer from poverty. According to the Social Policy and Development Centre (SPDC), poverty levels are the highest in this largest province. Every second person in Balochistan lives below the poverty line. Only 50 percent of the province's seven million people have access to clean drinking water, only half the children attend primary schools and only a third of children between 12 and 23 months are immunised, according to the SPDC.
Due to constant resort to military operations by civilian and military rule alike, thousands have disappeared since their arrest and languish in jail which adds to the sense of desperation in the province. Although there is much debate over the Indian involvement and support to separatist groups but not much research is conducted over how to alienate these groups and reconcile Balochis into Pakistan by removing their genuine grieviences and force is so often chosen as an easy option, only for a return to the negotiating table once more with even greater polarisation and resentment in the minds of ordinary Balochs. The allocation of area to the military in the province has increased the sense of hatred for khakis in the minds of many Balochs.
There are many other issues over which the Balochs have raised their concerns in a civilized way but no lasting solutions have been provided to many. To state a few, the federal government’s policy of issuing licences to domestic and international trawlers for fishing in Balochistan’s waters has been alleged to harm the interests of local fishermen in the province. Similarly, it was alleged by members of Balochistan Assembly in 2006 that the management of the Gwadar Seaport Authority had shifted the assets of the Gwadar port to Karachi, without informing the provincial government. It was unfortunate that what was guaranteed under the constitution had to be stated in the form of a resolution in the same year when the Balochistan Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on Friday demanding royalty for the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline.
The setting up of the Balochistan Reconciliation Committee by President Asif Ali Zardari can prove to be an important step to reverse the excesses of the past. Although all political elements, both inside Balochistan and outside, may be suspicious of this move at present but if, as pledged by Mr. Zardari on Thursday during a meeting held under the auspices of the special committee that Balochs would be provided their due rights including the first right to its resources is indeed implemented, it would be hard for these elements to stay away from this positive initiative by a man, who unlike his predecessor, is a representative of a political party which has roots in the other three provinces. It was encouraging that Mr. Zardari followed up on his apology to the province for its sufferings by setting up such a committee but his real challenge lies in how he devolves a plan to resolve this difficult issue which has years of historical tensions behind it not least the growing acrimony he may have to face from the ‘establishment’ as well as the other provinces who may not be as forthcoming in this regard. This would be the crunch issue for him and if he is able to reach a consensual decision with most of the stakeholders (as there would certainly be dissenters), it would be a momentous description of his tenure and silent his critics.
The name of the committee is self-explanatory- there is a need for reconciliation between the largest, yet most neglected province of the motherland. These candid admissions, apologetic tones and concrete steps are crucial as time is running short and the enemies at the gate would be the ones to benefit the most if attempts to mend our fence fails. Deterrence is not merely achieved through nuclear tests, long-range missiles, strong international coalitions or even a sustainable economy. Only if a country is strong from within with harmonious relations between different ethnic groups and provincial factions can it continue to subsist as a single enterprise and face hostile borders and survive economic meltdowns.
The government has in the past provided little resources towards social welfare of its inhabitants in comparison with other provinces. People in Balochistan rightly blame the federal government for their plight and point out that the benefits derived from the province's natural wealth have not been returned to it. This province is the richest in natural resources, including gold, silver, copper, oil, natural gas, iron ore and uranium. It supplies natural gas to the whole of the country yet three quarters of the province does not have the access to natural gas. Sui is the area from where natural gas is being supplied but Sui is the one of the worst affected areas of military operations since long. The Government of Pakistan pays a meager percentage of the total income from natural resources as royalty to Balochistan, much of it ending up with the few but powerful chieftains, many of whom are oblivious of the plight of the ordinary people and social development and uplift of Balochistan and spend little for this cause.
Baloch people also suffer from poverty. According to the Social Policy and Development Centre (SPDC), poverty levels are the highest in this largest province. Every second person in Balochistan lives below the poverty line. Only 50 percent of the province's seven million people have access to clean drinking water, only half the children attend primary schools and only a third of children between 12 and 23 months are immunised, according to the SPDC.
Due to constant resort to military operations by civilian and military rule alike, thousands have disappeared since their arrest and languish in jail which adds to the sense of desperation in the province. Although there is much debate over the Indian involvement and support to separatist groups but not much research is conducted over how to alienate these groups and reconcile Balochis into Pakistan by removing their genuine grieviences and force is so often chosen as an easy option, only for a return to the negotiating table once more with even greater polarisation and resentment in the minds of ordinary Balochs. The allocation of area to the military in the province has increased the sense of hatred for khakis in the minds of many Balochs.
There are many other issues over which the Balochs have raised their concerns in a civilized way but no lasting solutions have been provided to many. To state a few, the federal government’s policy of issuing licences to domestic and international trawlers for fishing in Balochistan’s waters has been alleged to harm the interests of local fishermen in the province. Similarly, it was alleged by members of Balochistan Assembly in 2006 that the management of the Gwadar Seaport Authority had shifted the assets of the Gwadar port to Karachi, without informing the provincial government. It was unfortunate that what was guaranteed under the constitution had to be stated in the form of a resolution in the same year when the Balochistan Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on Friday demanding royalty for the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline.
The setting up of the Balochistan Reconciliation Committee by President Asif Ali Zardari can prove to be an important step to reverse the excesses of the past. Although all political elements, both inside Balochistan and outside, may be suspicious of this move at present but if, as pledged by Mr. Zardari on Thursday during a meeting held under the auspices of the special committee that Balochs would be provided their due rights including the first right to its resources is indeed implemented, it would be hard for these elements to stay away from this positive initiative by a man, who unlike his predecessor, is a representative of a political party which has roots in the other three provinces. It was encouraging that Mr. Zardari followed up on his apology to the province for its sufferings by setting up such a committee but his real challenge lies in how he devolves a plan to resolve this difficult issue which has years of historical tensions behind it not least the growing acrimony he may have to face from the ‘establishment’ as well as the other provinces who may not be as forthcoming in this regard. This would be the crunch issue for him and if he is able to reach a consensual decision with most of the stakeholders (as there would certainly be dissenters), it would be a momentous description of his tenure and silent his critics.
The name of the committee is self-explanatory- there is a need for reconciliation between the largest, yet most neglected province of the motherland. These candid admissions, apologetic tones and concrete steps are crucial as time is running short and the enemies at the gate would be the ones to benefit the most if attempts to mend our fence fails. Deterrence is not merely achieved through nuclear tests, long-range missiles, strong international coalitions or even a sustainable economy. Only if a country is strong from within with harmonious relations between different ethnic groups and provincial factions can it continue to subsist as a single enterprise and face hostile borders and survive economic meltdowns.
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