Although “Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan package” presented in joint sitting of both the Houses of parliament, has been termed as “eye wash” by radical Baloch element, yet the empowerment package will go a long way in redressing the grievances of the people of the province. As the title of the package suggests the “starting of the rights of Balochistan“, it is unlikely to resolve all outstanding issue of Balochistan overnight, but holds the promise of a better tomorrow for Balochistan. The package contains a series of constitutional reforms, economic measures and administrative steps to placate the hurt feelings of the people of Balochistan. Undeniably, Balochistan has suffered long years of neglect. In terms of literacy, higher education, technological development, healthcare, infrastructure development and industrialization, the province is far behind rest of the country. The economic experts indicated that lack of financial resources, inefficiency, corruption and a weak approach of the economic planners and managers, are the main hurdles that retarded the process of economic development. The NFC Award failed to provide enough resources for this least developed province, under the distribution formula based on population.
On top of it, the greatest sin of our rulers has been that they have never tried to better the economic and political conditions in Balochistan despite repeated promises from them since the creation of Pakistan. This, in turn, ignited the marginalized Baloch people to stand up against the Government’s insensitivities over past sixty-two years. Adding fuel to the fire, the feudal sardars of Balochistan cannot remain oblivious from the guilt of keeping the province backward. Some of the grievances projected by Baloch nationalists are: — provincial autonomy, detention of political workers, bigger share in NFC, special quota in federal jobs, enhanced royalty for natural gas, increasing military intrusion, gradual attrition of Baloch identity with influx of outsiders, undertaking of “anti Baloch” mega projects like Gwadar port without reference to their consensus.
Now a paradigm shift is visible in the form of Balochistan Empowerment Package that will remove the qualms of disgruntled Baloch feudal lords as well the hurt feelings of the people of Balochistan. Some of the salient features of the Package are: (a) Releasing political prisoners against whom terrorism cases are not pending. (b) Expeditious recovery of missing persons. (c) Stopping of the construction of new cantonments in Balochistan. (d) Withdrawing Army from Sui. (e) The basis of National Finance Commission (NFC) Award will on the size, revenue generation and backwardness of the province. (f) Promising necessary constitutional amendments to strengthen provincial autonomy as demanded by Balochistan and other smaller provinces, as well as abolition of the Concurrent List of the Constitution. (g) Promises initiating of judicial inquiry into the killings of Nawab Akbar Bugti and other Baloch leaders. (h) An end to all operations except anti-terror actions. (j) Payment of royalty to the province (Rs120 billion) on the Gas Development Surcharge from 1954 to 1991 in 12 years. (k) The package promises a judicial inquiry into the allotment of land in Gwadar to accommodate the local population. Besides, a free economic zone will be established in this port city and all jobs will be offered to the local population. The chief minister will be the ex-officio chairperson of the Gwadar Development Authority. (l) There will be a special development package for the Sui area where 5,000 additional provincial cadre jobs will be created. (m) The province will be able to purchase up to 20 per cent of the shares of the PPL, the OGDCL and the Sui Southern when offered in the open market. (n) The Saindak project would be exclusively handed over to the province. (o) Similarly, Rs1 billion will be spent on the rehabilitation of IDPs from Dera Bugti.
The divergent perceptions about the “Balochistan Empowerment Package-2009” have created hopes as well as frustrations in the political landscape of Balochistan. The two contending forces (a) the radical nationalists and (b) the progressives follow two divergent views of the package. The nationalist groups consist of disgruntled feudal sardars and radical Baloch youth demanding more autonomy within the federation of Pakistan. The progressives view the Balochistan Empowerment Package in a pragmatic manner, supporting Islamabad's policy. They hail the government's package as a compensation for the injustices done to the province in the past. Balochistan is an extremely important province of Pakistan. A number of forces have served to draw Pakistan together into nationhood. The common bond tying its peoples together has been Islamic culture, regional folkways and mores with minor old rivalries and animosities. Pakistan has a federal complexion devoid of secessionist voices, therefore, the legitimate grievances of the angry and wronged Baloch nationalists should be addressed in an expeditious way.
The Package has been hailed as a great leap forward, but the radical Baloch nationalists have rejected the package. Provincial autonomy and the use of provincial resources for the people is the most fundamental grievance of Baloch people. The political and economic disputes need to be addressed through a policy of reconciliation and mutual accommodation. The attitude of the Government from the very beginning has been conciliatory and compromising. The Government, on behalf of the people of Pakistan has already apologized to the people of Balochistan for the atrocities and injustices committed against them. The meaningful dialogue process with all the stakeholders will bring perpetual peace in the province. On the Baloch side, inclusion of representative like Nawab Marri, Sardar Mengal, Brahamdag Bugti and Khan of Kalat, Mir Suleiman Daud may influence the outcome the negotiation. The other players in the Baloch nationalist camp include Balochistan’s four political parties - the Balochistan National Party (BNP), National Party (NP), Baloch Republican Party (BRP), all factions of the Baloch Students’ Organization (BSO) and other components of the Baloch National Front (BNF). Lastly, the most important phase of the reconciliation process would be bringing the armed resistance groups (the Baloch Liberation Army, Balochistan Liberation United Front, Baloch Republican Army, Baloch Liberation Front and Lashkar-e- Balochistan) on the negotiating table. The recent decision of the government to withdraw cases against Sardar Akhtar Mengal, Brahamdagh Bugti, Jamil Bugti, etc, will assuage the annoyed leaders for reconciliation. Side by side, there is a golden opportunity to immediately commence action on the key recommendations of the “Balochistan Empowerment Package-2009”.
On top of it, the greatest sin of our rulers has been that they have never tried to better the economic and political conditions in Balochistan despite repeated promises from them since the creation of Pakistan. This, in turn, ignited the marginalized Baloch people to stand up against the Government’s insensitivities over past sixty-two years. Adding fuel to the fire, the feudal sardars of Balochistan cannot remain oblivious from the guilt of keeping the province backward. Some of the grievances projected by Baloch nationalists are: — provincial autonomy, detention of political workers, bigger share in NFC, special quota in federal jobs, enhanced royalty for natural gas, increasing military intrusion, gradual attrition of Baloch identity with influx of outsiders, undertaking of “anti Baloch” mega projects like Gwadar port without reference to their consensus.
Now a paradigm shift is visible in the form of Balochistan Empowerment Package that will remove the qualms of disgruntled Baloch feudal lords as well the hurt feelings of the people of Balochistan. Some of the salient features of the Package are: (a) Releasing political prisoners against whom terrorism cases are not pending. (b) Expeditious recovery of missing persons. (c) Stopping of the construction of new cantonments in Balochistan. (d) Withdrawing Army from Sui. (e) The basis of National Finance Commission (NFC) Award will on the size, revenue generation and backwardness of the province. (f) Promising necessary constitutional amendments to strengthen provincial autonomy as demanded by Balochistan and other smaller provinces, as well as abolition of the Concurrent List of the Constitution. (g) Promises initiating of judicial inquiry into the killings of Nawab Akbar Bugti and other Baloch leaders. (h) An end to all operations except anti-terror actions. (j) Payment of royalty to the province (Rs120 billion) on the Gas Development Surcharge from 1954 to 1991 in 12 years. (k) The package promises a judicial inquiry into the allotment of land in Gwadar to accommodate the local population. Besides, a free economic zone will be established in this port city and all jobs will be offered to the local population. The chief minister will be the ex-officio chairperson of the Gwadar Development Authority. (l) There will be a special development package for the Sui area where 5,000 additional provincial cadre jobs will be created. (m) The province will be able to purchase up to 20 per cent of the shares of the PPL, the OGDCL and the Sui Southern when offered in the open market. (n) The Saindak project would be exclusively handed over to the province. (o) Similarly, Rs1 billion will be spent on the rehabilitation of IDPs from Dera Bugti.
The divergent perceptions about the “Balochistan Empowerment Package-2009” have created hopes as well as frustrations in the political landscape of Balochistan. The two contending forces (a) the radical nationalists and (b) the progressives follow two divergent views of the package. The nationalist groups consist of disgruntled feudal sardars and radical Baloch youth demanding more autonomy within the federation of Pakistan. The progressives view the Balochistan Empowerment Package in a pragmatic manner, supporting Islamabad's policy. They hail the government's package as a compensation for the injustices done to the province in the past. Balochistan is an extremely important province of Pakistan. A number of forces have served to draw Pakistan together into nationhood. The common bond tying its peoples together has been Islamic culture, regional folkways and mores with minor old rivalries and animosities. Pakistan has a federal complexion devoid of secessionist voices, therefore, the legitimate grievances of the angry and wronged Baloch nationalists should be addressed in an expeditious way.
The Package has been hailed as a great leap forward, but the radical Baloch nationalists have rejected the package. Provincial autonomy and the use of provincial resources for the people is the most fundamental grievance of Baloch people. The political and economic disputes need to be addressed through a policy of reconciliation and mutual accommodation. The attitude of the Government from the very beginning has been conciliatory and compromising. The Government, on behalf of the people of Pakistan has already apologized to the people of Balochistan for the atrocities and injustices committed against them. The meaningful dialogue process with all the stakeholders will bring perpetual peace in the province. On the Baloch side, inclusion of representative like Nawab Marri, Sardar Mengal, Brahamdag Bugti and Khan of Kalat, Mir Suleiman Daud may influence the outcome the negotiation. The other players in the Baloch nationalist camp include Balochistan’s four political parties - the Balochistan National Party (BNP), National Party (NP), Baloch Republican Party (BRP), all factions of the Baloch Students’ Organization (BSO) and other components of the Baloch National Front (BNF). Lastly, the most important phase of the reconciliation process would be bringing the armed resistance groups (the Baloch Liberation Army, Balochistan Liberation United Front, Baloch Republican Army, Baloch Liberation Front and Lashkar-e- Balochistan) on the negotiating table. The recent decision of the government to withdraw cases against Sardar Akhtar Mengal, Brahamdagh Bugti, Jamil Bugti, etc, will assuage the annoyed leaders for reconciliation. Side by side, there is a golden opportunity to immediately commence action on the key recommendations of the “Balochistan Empowerment Package-2009”.
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