Save Balochistan Masood Ahmad Qureshi

There is no denying the fact that East Pakistan like situation prevails in the present day Balochistan. Since 1948 ethnic Balochs have demanded greater autonomy and more control over revenues from their gasfields and the Pakistani government has put down four insurgencies; the fifth and current rebellion started in 2003, led by the Balochistan Liberation Army.

There is no denying the fact that East Pakistan like situation prevails in the present day Balochistan. Two provincial ministers have been killed of which ruling PPP Education Minister Shafique Ahmad Khan who was of Punjab origin was murdered in broad daylight in front of his house. Balochistan Liberation United Front (BLUF) has accepted the responsibility for his killing. He was the second minister to have been killed within a span of two months. Every other day high-ranking police officers are being killed in suicidal attacks. The root cause of attacks on police is their Punjabi origin. According to veteran left-wing nationalist leader, Dr. Abdul Hayee Baluch: "Time is running out. If the Government is serious about solving the crisis in Balochistan, it is time to act now." Moderate voices in Balochistan seem to be becoming irrelevant. Nationalists, such as the Balochistan National Party (BNP Mengal) and BSO (Malik), though insisting on Baloch national rights, stay short of calling for independence. But in the prevailing emotionally-charged atmosphere, these parties and leaders do not seem to be in a position to challenge the hard line stance of insurgent groups. Since 1948 ethnic Balochs have demanded greater autonomy and more control over revenues from their gasfields and the Pakistani government has put down four insurgencies; the fifth and current rebellion started in 2003, led by the Balochistan Liberation Army. In fact today writ of the Government has almost become extinct in Balochistan. The main hotbeds of insurgency are Marri, Bugti areas and the state of Kalat. While Khan of Kalat has assumed self-exile, Nawab Akbar Bugti was mercilessly killed during a military operation of Pakistan Army during 2006, (the man who is not murdered does not belong to our tribe - poet Naziry). Former Governor of Balochistan Lt.General oAbdul Qader in a recent interview to an Urdu Weekly has revealed tragic conditions prevailing today in Balochistan. Today Balochis are talking of freedom, of greater Balochistan. Khan of Kalat has openly talked of exclusiveness. Except Government offices Pakistan flag is hoisted nowhewre else. So much so that Police does not have the temerity to hoist Pakistan flag over police station buildings. According to news source after the murder of a University teacher almost 20 teachers have already got themselves transferred outside Balochistan, while 22,000 non-Baloch government servants have applied for transfer . So far 50,000 non Baloch population emigrated from Balochistan province. People of Punjabi and Urdu-speaking origin are fleeing the province. Baloch youth are chanting anti-Pakistan slogans and on the Quetta-Karachi highway anti-Pakistan posters are fluttering at all places. One can recall that Bengali youth raised slogans for provincial autonomy in fifties and demand was put forward for making Bangla one of the national languages. In 1966 Sh.Mujib ur Rehman brought forward his six points which led to the separation of East Pakistan. In sixties Bengalis cursed Punjabis as ‘sala Ponzabi'. It is shocking that streets of Balochistan are echoing with anathema to Punjabis so soon. Islamabad rulers had been oblivious of history. History repeats itself in case of those who do not learn lessons from it. The march of history is indeed very callous. Although revolt is raging in the Pakhtunkhwa too yet the population of that province adheres to Pakistan ideology. But conversely majority of Baloch hate the idea of Pakistan and are talking of separation. This situation is lamentable. These woeful conditions are the product of General Pervaiz Musharraf's eight-year rule. Musharraf and his cronies did not learn anything from Pakistan history. In violation of the spirit of 1973 Constitution federal government has completely usurped the powers of the provinces as envisaged in the Constitution. In fact, through 1973 Constitution last attempt to meet the requirements of autonomy was made. But the manner in which the Constitution was put into practice it did not unite but divided the nation, viz-a -viz the above mentioned conditions promulgation of autonomy in Balochistan though appears a late-comer yet the presence of moderate voices is a silverlinining and the government should not lose time in amending the Constitution accordingly. As a result of the legacy of the military dictator the country is wholly run from Islamabad. The provincial governments are subservient to the centre. There is no provincial autonomy even to the extent provided in the 1973 Constitution The Aghaz-e-Haqooq Balochistan package announced by the federal government had indeed a sobering effect. It reflected that the democratic government at federal level was fully aware of the alarming Balochistan situation. It was heartening that in spite of the oppressive regime of General Pervaiz Musharraf Balochis cast majority vote to PPP in 2008 election. It means that the common Baloch believes in Federalism in his heart of hearts. The winning of Quetta-1 seat in the recent by-election proves this sentiment. In the recent session of the Parliament Baloch members made very grim and matter of fact speeches. Zubaida Jalal brazenly apprised the House that the Baloch want freedom. Jan Jamali commenting on the package said: If honoured the Baloch shall sacrifice their lives for Pakistan, otherwise shall part ways, which shows that the imbroglio is of politico-psychological nature. It cannot be solved merely through NFC award. Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo said the government did a great blunder by allying with US. The result is that the guns which were defending Kabul in the past are now offending Islamabad. Therefore, the necessary corollary is to introduce the provincial autonomy without loss of any time. The Constitution committee formed by the Federal government is already working on draft amendments in the Constitution. Sardar Ataullah Mengal had reserved Foreign Affairs, Defence and Currency in his party manifesto for the jurisdiction of federal authorities. His party gave a fair trial to the 1973 Constitution. In the 1973 Constitution there are two legislative lists. One is Federal Legislative List, and the other is Concurrent Legislative List. The Federal list is, of course, the list of subjects reserved for the Federal government to legislate. The ‘concurrent list' is one dominated by the federal government with the concurrence that is with the agreement of provincial government. In actual practice this too is federal list. It is, therefore, proposed that the Constitution reforms committee should adjudge the concurrent list exclusively the domain of the provinvial government The centre should not encroach upon the rights of the provinces. Therefore, the National Finance Commission and National Economic Council should be done away with. These institutions are governments within the government dominated by top bureaucrats and technocrats and they seldom meet during the currency of the Constitution. The puppet chief ministers who are members of these bodies cannot withstand the pressure of the poweful Prime Minister from above and of the Chief Secretary from below. The authority of the federal government should entail the subjects of foreign affairs, defence, communications, curencry, State Bank, import, export, elections and nationality and immigration and collection of income tax and custom duties alone. The practice of outsiders coming to Balochistan and getting their NICs preparted and purchase of land should be stopped. Allotment of land in Gwadar which is the greatest irritant to the Baloch nationalists should be stopped. It is expected that amendments in the Constitution on these lines could make the Baloch less wild and pave the way towards winning their hearts and minds. masoodq3@gmail.com


Source: http://www.thefrontierpost.com/News.aspx?ncat=ar&nid=853