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mtgondal · #3 Monday, June 04, 2007

Balochistan: a chance for peace and development

By Syed Fazl-e-Haider

The ongoing development process must bring a positive change in socioeconomic and political milieu of Balochistan. If the people still feel socially alienated, economically frustrated and politically discriminated, then merely infrastructure development cannot appease their feelings. The development should be in accordance with the local needs and demands.

Peace and development are critically linked. A peaceful environment is a prerequisite for economic development of any region. The development denotes change; a change in people's social behaviour, political approach and economic growth. It is actually the peace that gives a boost to development activity and it is not the development that brings peace and prosperity in a society. One should however distinguish between peace and silence. Peace does not prevail in a society where the people feel discriminated, alienated and frustrated. The feelings of alienation and frustration however may cause a state of silence to prevail in the society.

The poor state of affairs in the province came to the limelight after the political crisis continued to deepen during last two years and a military operation was launched in Bugti and Mari tribal areas in December 2005. Military solution to the Balochistan crisis is not viable, says a research report on "Balochistan crisis" presented at the recently held ninth sustainable development conference. The report suggests that drastic administrative and infrastructural reforms should be carried out in the province, followed by more powers and autonomy to all provinces. The report recommends constitution of a commission comprising civilian experts in development, psychology, sociology, political science and regional strategy with a task to reassess the situation in Balochistan on the basis of demands of nationalist forces, academicians and senior Baloch bureaucrats.

A roundtable dialogue on "Accommodating differences through federalism" was recently arranged by US-based National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) in collaboration with strengthening participatory organisation (SPO). The participants included major political parties, constitutional experts, civil society and government representatives, who called for halting military operation and initiating a constructive dialogue with genuine representatives of Balochistan to resolve the ongoing conflict in the province. They also underlined the need for a participatory federation providing constitutional guarantees for social, cultural and economic rights to the people without any discrimination.

Balochistan, the poorest province of the country, has a predominantly rural population, which is thinly distributed over vast and difficult terrain. The remote rural areas of the province still present the picture of medieval Age. The health indicators are poorer than any other province. The developments of natural and human resources are inseparably linked; hence the social and economic development must go together. A comprehensive human development policy for the province must focus on social sectors like education, health and women empowerment.

A process of socioeconomic development is presently underway in Balochistan amid social chaos and political instability. According to the official sources, the development projects worth more than Rs2 trillion are under execution in the province. While Mekran coastal highway and Mirani Dam in Mekran have been completed and inaugurated last year, Saindak copper project was reactivated in 2003 and production has been started from it. The Gwadar seaport has been handed over to Singaporean firm for operation and it will be made functional by next month. The first phase of Kachhi canal will be completed by 2008. Sabakzai dam would be completed by June this year. The Rs8 billion Quetta water-supply, and environmental improvement project (QWSEIP) will be completed by June 2008.

Moreover, 43 small canals are being built in the province and PC-I about Pat Feeder, Hair Din and Kirthar Canal have been prepared. Feasibility report about Ajram Dam would be ready by June this year. The consultants have also been appointed for dams in Hingol, Nolang, Silkeji, Tanke, Zorati and Winder. The work on Chagai water project is underway at a cost of Rs560 million. The preliminaries have been completed for fishery, forests and livestock sector with foreign assistance.

So far as social sector is concerned, the present government though late, has made serious effort for its development. For example, first IT University at Quetta, conversion of Bolan and Uthal textile mills buildings into technology institutes are a move in the right direction. Under the 9th five-year plan, the government is committed to provide Rs200 million for setting up Gwadar Institute of Technology (GIT) aimed at strengthening entrepreneurship by establishing linkages between the institute and the industries of Gwadar port. Balochistan Education Foundation in collaboration with World Bank has planned to establish 200 community schools in the province. There is also a plan for setting up 100 private primary schools. While funds have been released for 3 new cadet colleges in the province, PC-I for cadet colleges at Noshki, Gwadar, Kohlu and Sibi have been prepared.

Several mining projects are currently underway in Balochistan for exploring copper, lead and zinc as well as oil and gas. The officials claim that Gwadar deep seaport would be a hub for the export of mining products from Balochistan and government is building a network of roads and highways inorder to facilitate trade there. The international mining companies operating in the province have reportedly sought adequate security cover from Islamabad to complete their projects. Over $1 billion copper projects are presently in execution stage in Chagai district of Balochistan. The issue of security however gets priority for any development strategy to work in Balochistan.

The nationalist parties criticise the federal government for ignoring the people and the Baloch leadership and not taking them into confidence while it signed accords with various international firms. The nationalists say that the Reko Dik mineral project and the Gwadar port project are of great importance for Balochistan after Sui-gas and Saindak projects but the government has along been ignoring the people of the province and their leadership in this regard. They call the federal government's decision of transferring the management of Gwadar port to the Singapore Port Authority as an infringement of rights of the Baloch people. They have demanded that all agreements signed by the federal government with international firms for exploitation of mineral and other resources of Balochistan be presented in the Senate and the Balochistan Assembly.

The development amid political instability will not be sustainable. A political solution to the crisis is inevitable. Government may invite and consult all the tribal notables of the province to solve the current crisis. The Jirga heads must be encouraged for their peacekeeping tasks. Jirga system however needs to be modified, institutionalised and legalised. There must be no supreme interest to the fore for the government than establishing an environment of peace and harmony throughout the province.

The development process under the shadows of military garrisons seems like an operation being undertaken at gunpoint. The army garrisons cannot secure any project, but it is the local stakeholders that can ensure real security for the smooth execution of the ongoing mega projects and other development schemes planned for the province. Drastic administrative measures should be taken for enhancing human security indicators in the province. Steps should be taken for reviving the National Finance Commission and the Council of Common Interests and limiting the federal government's share in revenue to what was mutually agreed between the provinces and the centre in the past.