Islamabad: Balochistan legislators belonging to the government and opposition on Wednesday warned that the ongoing armed struggle in the largest but the poorest province had intensified since the new dispensation took over early last year.
These lawmakers cautioned it was high time to stop lip service to the deep-rooted political and administrative provincial issues and change the status-quo in practical terms.They feared that if the incumbent political set-up also failed to rise to the occasion, things could go out of anybody’s control.
However, while expressing concern over the separatist move, Balochistan Assembly Speaker Muhammad Aslam Bhootani sounded optimistic that the ongoing development projects coupled with the constitutional package would bring a paradigm change in the minds and hearts of the people.
He contended no doubt Balochistan had faced perennial negligence over the years but the situation was now changing for the better. “You can’t address problems in one go but yes, there appears commitment in the corridors of power to pull the province out of the morass,” he said.
On the contrary, Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) Balochistan President Shahzain Bugti claimed: “Mere wastage of precious time and energy on non-issues is aggravating the problems and turning many people against the Centre.”
Shahzain, in reply to a question, claimed the armed struggle had gained significant popularity among the inhabitants of Balochistan, adding the people tended to get attentive to those who talked about their issues and “made a practical move to obtain their rights”.
However, the JWP leader hastened to clarify they were not with the separatists.“No doubt, there are genuine concerns of the people and that is why some of them had taken arms in their hands and were not prepared to remain a part of Pakistan, but there is a bright side of the issue. We are nearing finalisation of a historic package for Balochistan,” said PPP Balochistan chapter President Senator Haji Lashkari Raisani.
Asked what would be the fate of those pushing ahead with their agenda, contrary to the concept of federation, Raisani said many of them would on their own lay down their arms on seeing Balochistan being brought at par with the other federating units.
Ex-president National Party (NP) Dr Abdul Hayee Baloch, when approached, said the same old policies were being implemented in Balochistan, which was like adding fuel to the fire and hence there had been surge in the armed movement. “Where there is injustice and deprivations seem never ending, people are inclined to look to those who sympathise with them and talk of other options to address their grievances,” he said. NP is represented in the Senate by Dr Abdul Malik and Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=208013
These lawmakers cautioned it was high time to stop lip service to the deep-rooted political and administrative provincial issues and change the status-quo in practical terms.They feared that if the incumbent political set-up also failed to rise to the occasion, things could go out of anybody’s control.
However, while expressing concern over the separatist move, Balochistan Assembly Speaker Muhammad Aslam Bhootani sounded optimistic that the ongoing development projects coupled with the constitutional package would bring a paradigm change in the minds and hearts of the people.
He contended no doubt Balochistan had faced perennial negligence over the years but the situation was now changing for the better. “You can’t address problems in one go but yes, there appears commitment in the corridors of power to pull the province out of the morass,” he said.
On the contrary, Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) Balochistan President Shahzain Bugti claimed: “Mere wastage of precious time and energy on non-issues is aggravating the problems and turning many people against the Centre.”
Shahzain, in reply to a question, claimed the armed struggle had gained significant popularity among the inhabitants of Balochistan, adding the people tended to get attentive to those who talked about their issues and “made a practical move to obtain their rights”.
However, the JWP leader hastened to clarify they were not with the separatists.“No doubt, there are genuine concerns of the people and that is why some of them had taken arms in their hands and were not prepared to remain a part of Pakistan, but there is a bright side of the issue. We are nearing finalisation of a historic package for Balochistan,” said PPP Balochistan chapter President Senator Haji Lashkari Raisani.
Asked what would be the fate of those pushing ahead with their agenda, contrary to the concept of federation, Raisani said many of them would on their own lay down their arms on seeing Balochistan being brought at par with the other federating units.
Ex-president National Party (NP) Dr Abdul Hayee Baloch, when approached, said the same old policies were being implemented in Balochistan, which was like adding fuel to the fire and hence there had been surge in the armed movement. “Where there is injustice and deprivations seem never ending, people are inclined to look to those who sympathise with them and talk of other options to address their grievances,” he said. NP is represented in the Senate by Dr Abdul Malik and Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=208013
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