Aghaz-e-Huqooq-e-Balochistan Package:

- Announced in November 2009. Divided into five parts:

Constitutional:
- Constitutional amends about provincial autonomy as being discussed in parliamentary committee on constitutional reforms. This included elimination of concurrent list. (Done)
- To strengthen linkages of centre with provinces and to resolve differences, CCI, NFC and NEC to be reorganized and reinvigorated.
- LG Ordinance to be removed from Sixth Schedule and amended in light with province’s wishes. (Done)

Political Steps:
- Release of all political prisoners, except those charged with heinous crimes. (Progress)
- Dialogue with all major stakeholders, even those in exile, to bring them into mainstream.
- Facilitation of political exiles to return to Pakistan.
- Unanimously passed resolutions by PA to be passed.

Administrative Matters:
- Review of the role of federal agencies and independent operations by them to stop. Any action to be taken by them should have confidence of provincial government.
- Withdrawal of army from Sui. To be replaced with FC. No more new cantonments construction except in frontier regions. (Done)
- Commission to be established to identify, locate and recover missing persons.
- Fact finding mission into circumstances leading to death of Bugti.
- Judicial enquiry to investigate the allotment of lands to non-locals. (Already in progress)
- Inquiry by superior judiciary into murder of three political leaders.
- Progressive review of B areas to be converted into A areas with police. (Done)
- FC be given under the control of Chief Minister.
- Check posts in the interior be removed according to directions of provincial govt.

Economic Incentives:
- Revision and rationalization of Gas Royalty and Surcharge Formula. (Done)
- Ownership of locals in the companies operating in Balochistan. Representation of locals in the Board of Governors of these firms.
- Public Private Partnerships to involve locals.
- Special quota for higher education scholarships and 5000 jobs. (Done)
- All mega projects to be awarded with consent of provincial govt. While awarding contracts for works, preference be given to the locals.
- Phased payment of areas of Gas Development Surcharge worth Rs. 120 bn. (In progress)
- Federal Govt to give 20% of its shares on Saindak and Sui project to Balochistan.

Monitoring Mechanism:
- Parliamentary Committee on National Security to examine the implementation on monthly basis.
- Provincial and federal government to present a report on implementation in parliament every three months. (We already see such reports being presented and their highlights being made public through press).
- Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination will present a report in parliament at year end.

Analysis:
- There have been packages in the past, but this one is slightly different for an implementation mechanism has also been devised.
- Most of the constitutional steps have already been taken.
- As of January 2011, the progress on 61 policy proposals/decisions is: About 15 under the package are in advance stages of implementation, while 34 lag behind. 172 politically motivated cases against 665 persons have been withdrawn and 11 are under progress. Cantonment in Sui has been turned into a cadet college.
- The division of B areas and A areas has been restored with and Musharraf era LG System abolished.
- Since administrative matters comprised the largest portion of measures, so progress on them is slow, and more so because of traditional red tape in Pakistani bureaucracy.
- Other provinces have also accepted the special needs and deprivations of Balochistan. They have come forward with an open and accommodating heart. This was visible in the concessions made by the provinces (especially Punjab) to sooth Balochistan. Punjab government has also announced an increase in the quota for seats of Baloch students in Punjab universities and institutions.

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Muhammad Ali Asghar