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Balochistan package, healing of wounds
Thursday, December 03, 2009
By Mahmood Zaman
Balochistan, the largest province in area, acceded to Pakistan in April 1948 under an agreement of accession with the Khan of Kalat, whose state formed 23 per cent of the total Balochistan territory, recognizing its autonomy and sovereignty. However, both houses of the Kalat Parliament later asserted independence a few months later, the Khan rejected accession and started leading a separatist movement.
Later, Nawab Nowroz Khan followed the suit in 1968. But the most serious insurgency was led by the Marri and Mengal tribes between 1973 and 1977. They took to arms for the cause of a “Greater Balochistan” as an independent state comprising the historical regions in Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. In 2005 there was another struggle to achieve these aims and within one year Nawab Akbar Bugti and many more nationalist leaders, including Balach Marri, were killed and hundreds went missing.
Provincial autonomy and the use of provincial resources for the people is the most fundamental grievance of Baloch people. Tribal leaders add to their misery because they do not want any development in their areas. Successive governments have also distributed resources among tribal chiefs (Sardars) and people hardly benefited from them. Gas from Sui is not supplied to them but huge royalties are paid to Bugti tribe chief. Gwadar has been in the clutches of a land-grab mafia; the federal government earns billions from gas, but gives only a fraction back to Balochistan for development. Provincial autonomy promised in the 1973 constitution has yet to be realised.
Poor handling of Balochistan issue by the past governments has led to alienation of the Baloch youth. Nationalist leaders insist that they are not opposed to development but are against the exploitation of natural resources that do not benefit local communities. They also insist that the province, not the Sardars or the centre, should benefit from Balochistan’s resources.
Balochistan package: It is in this background that the government introduced November 24 at a joint session of Parliament a ‘Balochistan package’ in the name ‘Aghaze Huqooq-e-Balochistan’ that promises autonomy. Besides, the package promises initiating of judicial inquiry into the killings of Nawab Akbar Bugti and other Baloch leaders, establishing no more cantonments, replacement of army by the Frontier Corps, tracing missing persons, payment of Rs120 billion in gas royalty and an end to all operations except anti-terror actions, are some other bold features of the five-tier package.
As is evident from the title, it is just a beginning of redressing grievances of the people of Balochistan who have been wronged in the past, more by military regimes than other governments. The package is a comprehensive and multi-dimensional package that combines political, administrative and economic initiatives finalized by a seven-member parliamentary committee, headed by PPP Senator Mian Raza Rabbani, after consultation with other political parties in Parliament and the Baloch leadership.
The package envisages the Frontier Corps will replace army at Sui. It also undertakes the release of all political workers and withdrawal of cases against those who have no charges. As for missing persons, it requires bringing them before courts for trial within seven days.
Presenting the details of the package, Senator Raza Rabbani said necessary constitutional amendments would be made to strengthen provincial autonomy as demanded by Balochistan and other smaller provinces. On the economic side, the package envisions that the federal government will pay royalty to the province Rs120 billion on the Gas Development Surcharge from 1954 to 1991 in 12 years.
Constitutional reforms relate to abolition of the Concurrent List of the Constitution, end to the Police Order and the Balochistan Local Government Ordinance 2001 from the 6th Schedule and effective implementation of the Article 153 concerning the Council of Common Interests. This also assures effective implementation of articles 154 to 159 and 170 of the Constitution. This means that Balochistan will enjoy priority over the use of its gas and construct dams and hydro and thermal electricity generation units (Article 157), formulates plans for financial, commercial and socio-economic development under the National Economic Council (Article 156) in addition to empowering the province to establish broadcasting and telecasting facilities (Article 159).
All these provisions relate to provincial autonomy and it appears that the package has more or less conferred such rights on Balochistan.
Gwadar: 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 seven-member Gwadar Development Authority that alone will decide future development in the area. There will be a special development package for the Sui area where 5,000 additional provincial cadre jobs will be created.
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. The federal government will transfer 20 of its 30 per cent shares in the Saindak project to Balochistan and on completion, the project would be exclusively handed over to the province.
Similarly, Rs1 billion will be spent on the rehabilitation of IDPs from Dera Bugti.
Guarantee: Parliament will stand guarantee to the implementation of the package, as its committee on national security will monitor the implementation of the package in the light of a monthly report by the federal and provincial governments. They will also present a quarterly report before both the houses of Parliament for discussion.
The Balochistan Package, as unfolded in a joint session of Parliament, is major political move to appease the long-standing dissent in the troubled province. Successive military regimes preferred military means over political dialogue, the first major initiative of a civilian leader in Balochistan was made by Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Shaheed in 1970s whose forward policy abolished the Sardari system besides using military force.
At present, another PPP government has initiated appeasement as is evident from an apology offered by President Zardari to the people of Balochistan for wrong doings of the past even before being elected to the office. The package was placed before Parliament as “a historic step forward that would go a long way in redressing the grievances and removing the sense of deprivation among the people of Balochistan”, according to Premier Gilani.
Landmark: The Balochistan package is undoubtedly a landmark that seeks much-needed step in the right direction. It addresses a whole gamut of political, economic, constitutional and administrative grievances of the province.
All except Baloch nationalists have accepted the package and they should be told in plain words that Pakistan is and must remain a federation and there is simply no way that secessionist demands can or should be accepted. This is just a starting point and the government’s package holds the promise of a better tomorrow for Balochistan; its political leadership must encourage the angry and wronged Baloch nationalists to be engaged in negotiations with the federal government to ensure that their legitimate grievances will be addressed.
Simultaneously, a road map prepared to start immediate implementation as confidence building measures. There is no reason why nationalists would not feel attracted to negotiations when the package’s implementation will already be in progress.
The government can also persuade rejectionists with the plea that Balochistan is not just home to Baloch people; there is also a sizeable Pashtun population whose interests must also be accommodated.
The federal government, a civilian dispensation, has extended its hand in good faith showing a political will that the people of Balochistan deserve a non-violent solution to their problems. All the fine sentiments in the package offering reconciliation with our “Baloch brothers” must now translate into relief from paramilitary operations since at least 2002 that accelerated in quantity and intensity after 2006. The operation must end now as this alone may lead to a dialogue process, so urgently required under the circumstances.
Reference:
http://www.thenews.com.pk
Regards.
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