Balochistan Finance Minister Mir Asim Kurd Gailu made the announcement in the provincial assembly in Quetta on Monday during his speech laying out the provincial budget for fiscal year 2013. The announcement is likely to create significant interest among potential investors if Balochistan is looking to reduce or even exit its stake in the mines.

The provincial government also announced that it would be allocating Rs8.5 billion ($90 million) towards its 25% share in the Reko Diq mine copper mine. Balochistan will set up an investment board that will aim to manage the listing of the Quetta’s stake in the mines. Gailu indicated that the government wanted to capitalise on its investment, even though it has been locked in a lengthy court battle with its two foreign partners in the Reko Diq mine: Chile’s Antofagasta and Canada’s Barrick Gold.

The Rs180 billion budget is the fifth in a row delivered by the Pakistan Peoples Party-led coalition in Balochistan. Despite being an election year, the government managed to resist the urge to undertake any drastic populist measures. Quetta expects to balance its budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013.

The overwhelming bulk of Balochistan’s revenues come in the form of transfers from the federal government in one form or another. The province has seen its budget nearly double in size since the passage of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution and the 7th National Finance Commission Award in 2010.

The single biggest segment of the Balochistan budget is education, where the provincial government will spend about Rs24.5 billion in 2013, including Rs2 billion from the development budget. This amount comes to about 13.6% of the total budget. Among the development priorities for the government in the coming year will be to build 150 new schools.

Quetta is allocating 5.5% of its total budget – or about Rs9.9 billion – to healthcare. This amount is an 11% increase over the previous year’s allocation, on par with inflation during the previous year. Another Rs 13.5 billion, or 7.5% of the total budget, will be spent on law and order, an increase of 17.3% over the previous year. The Balochistan police do not patrol most of the province’s territory, which falls under several federally- controlled militias.

About 20% of the Balochistan budget – Rs35.8 billion – will be spent on development programmes. This amount is about 14% higher than the allocation for the outgoing fiscal year.

Among the more unique projects being funded by the government is a Rs888 million solar home electricity system, which is aimed at energy conservation in a province where 20-hour power outages are the norm. Another Rs800 million will be spent completing the Pasni Fish Harbour in a project funded by the government of Japan. The province will spend Rs12 billion building roads.

Perhaps interestingly for the poorest province in the federation, Quetta decided to raise the minimum wage in the province from Rs7,000 per month to Rs9,000 – the highest in the country.

The provincial government did announce at least a few populist policies, such as the plan to recruit up to 15,000 young people into the Balochistan government. In addition, the government will spend Rs7 billion subsidising the electricity for agricultural tube-wells in the province.

And following the federal government’s lead, Balochistan will be awarding an ad hoc pay increase of 20% to public employees in the province.

Balochistan’s estimates its own revenue collection to clock in at a paltry Rs5.2 billion in 2013, up by only 7.3% over the outgoing year’s amount.

Published In The Express Tribune, June 12^th, 2012.

MASTUNG: Two people were killed and at least 36 people sustained injuries when a bomb went off near a passenger bus in the Dringarh area of Mastung on Monday, hospital sources confirmed. The bus was en route to Taftan in Chagai district, bordering Iran.

A Levies official said that an explosive-laden motorcycle exploded when the bus drove past it, completely destroying the vehicle. The official added that the number of casualties may rise.

It was reported that the bus was carrying around 60 people.

The explosives were connected to a time-device.

One body was shifted to Provincial Sandeman Hospital in Quetta while the other was brought to Civil Hospital in Mastung.

Thirteen injured were shifted to hospitals in Mastung, while 23 people who sustained serious injuries were moved to Bolan Medical Complex Teaching Hospital in Quetta.

It could not be ascertained who was targeted in the attack.

Security forces cordoned off the area in order to initiate investigations.

QUETTA: Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal, head of judicial commission formed for the recovery of missing persons, on Saturday held foreign intelligence agencies responsible for the deteriorating situation of Balochistan, claiming that there was concrete evidence against them.

Addressing a news conference at the Civil Secretariat in Quetta, Justice Iqbal said that foreign intelligence agencies wanted to deteriorate the situation of Balochistan in order to destabilise Pakistan.

Justice Iqbal further regretted that the authorities have not been able to compile the complete details of those who were enlisted as missing persons. “There is a baseless propaganda about the actual figure of missing persons in the country.”

However, he said that according to the commission, the total number of missing persons stood at 460, including 18 from Islamabad, 117 from Punjab, 174 from Sindh, 170 from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and 57 from Balochistan while 12 each from Azad Kashmir and Federally Administered Areas (FATA).

He said that 42 bodies of missing persons were found in Balochistan, and claimed that foreign intelligence agencies were involved in the crime.

It is pertinent to mention here that Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VFBMP), an organisation striving for the safe recovery of missing persons in Balochistan, has already boycotted the proceedings of the commission and has categorically stated that the commission is not in the mood of recovering the missing people.

The inquiry commission’s chief further said that the list also contained the names of those living abroad and also those who have been involved in terrorism-related cases.

Iqbal said that the chief minister of Balochistan had sent a list of 945 ‘missing’ persons to the commission, and added that the complete details of even 45 persons on the list had not been made available.

“We sent the list back to the ministry for correction but it never came back,” he pointed out.

The commission’s chief said that in the past week, 12 people who had been missing were recovered from Balochistan. He claimed that some of the missing persons were in Afghanistan and they could not be recovered because they were in US-controlled territory.

Responding to a query about the delay in proceedings, Justice Iqbal explained that he was engaged in the Abbottabad commission. “We have been doing our job in Islamabad. We will soon visit interior Balochistan including like Gwadar, Turbat and Khuzdar. The people who are on the list cannot be declared as missing persons until or unless their relatives turn up and show their identity cards or driving license.”

He added that the commission is still facing difficulties because the government organisations and other organisations who are working for missing persons did not give the exit list. However, he said that the federal and provincial governments and secret agencies are cooperating with the judicial commission.

QUETTA: At least 12 alleged criminals and three tribesmen were killed on Friday in a gun-battle between Levies Force and armed men in Chagai district, an area in Balochistan which shares border with Iran and Afghanistan.

“The exchange of fire lasted about 16 hours resulting in deaths of 15 people, including 12 criminals,” Deputy Commissioner Tufail Baloch said.

According to Levies Force officials, a group of armed men after killing a son of a local tribesman in Chagai on Thursday, fled to mountains in the Zardgan area of Chagai district and took position.

Levies Force personnel followed the attackers and surrounded the area where they had taken positions. The attackers opened indiscriminate fire at the Levies Force with sophisticated weapons. Around 12 accused were killed when Levies Force personnel retaliated with full force while three tribesmen who were assisting the Levies Force were also killed in the battle.

The deputy commissioner confirmed the incident and said that “12 most wanted criminals,” who were involved in different crimes including the murder of the local tribesman’s son, were killed during the fighting with the Levies Force. “Levies personnel also recovered weapons and vehicles from the criminals,” he added.

Sources said that the exchange of fire between the accused persons and Levies Force lasted for about 16 hours while heavy weapons were used in the incident. “The operation has ended and the situation is now completely under control,” DC Chagai added.

Sources added that the accused killed during the operation belonged to Panjgour, Chagai and Nushki districts, while two of their accomplices were also killed the other day.

The bodies were taken to a state-run hospital for an autopsy.

QUETTA: An Additional and Session Judge of Quetta has ordered the illegal weapons and vehicles seized from Jamhoori Watan Party’s (JWP) leader Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti to be produced before the court.

Additional and Session Judge Syed Zulfiqar Hasnain Naqvi issued an order on Tuesday while hearing the weapons recovery case. The court also summoned two more witnesses for prosecution.

During the hearing, the court recorded the statement of Assistant Sub- Inspector (ASI) Muhammad Ashraf.

Earlier, JWP leader Shahzain Bugti was brought to the Session Court amidst tight security and a large number of activities of JWP were present in the court premises who showered rose petals on their leader and shouted slogans in his favour.

Talking to media persons, Shahzain Bugti said that he was innocent and had nothing to do with the weapons.

Shahzain Bugti and his 26 companions were arrested in April this year after the Supreme Court cancelled their earlier bail granted by Balochistan High Court.

They had been arrested by paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) on December 22, 2010 at the Baleli check post in Quetta for allegedly smuggling weapons.

QUETTA: A man was killed and seven others, including three security personnel, were injured when a remote controlled explosive device went off in Bismillah Chowk area of Chitkan bazaar in Panjgur district on Monday.

According to police, unknown persons had planted an explosive device onto a motorbike and parked it outside a private bank before detonating it by remote control. As result of the explosion, a passer-by was killed on the spot and seven others, including three security personnel, sustained injures.

Police and Frontier Corps personnel rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area. The deceased and injured were taken to the District Headquarters hospital and Javed Medical Complex for treatment.

“The target was security personnel who were inside the bank,” a police officer said, adding that an investigation into the incident has been initiated.

The deceased was identified as Abdul Rashid, son of Abdul Hakeem. Among the injured, the security personnel were identified as Zahid Iqbal, Umer Hayat and Mohammad Akhtar. The others injured were Khairullah, Muslim, Khalid and Faisal.

At least ten cars and few motorcycles were damaged in the blast. The police official said the bank building was also damaged in the attack.

According to eyewitness accounts, several security personnel were inside the bank when blast occurred.

A case has been registered against the unknown persons and an investigation into the attack has been launched.

QUETTA: Unidentified gunmen shot dead six people, including a police official, here on Sunday, police officials said.

A group of armed men riding on two motorbikes opened fire on people sitting in a shop in Sarki area of Quetta. According to police, four people, including a father and his son who were sitting inside a welding shop on Essa Khan Road were killed on the spot.

“They entered a welding shop when workers were having their lunch and killed five people,” senior police officer Jahangir Shah said, adding that the dead included four members of the Hazara community and one passer-by.

Before fleeing they also opened fire on a police patrol, killing one policeman and wounding a police official, Shah said.

A heavy contingent of police and Frontier Corps (FC) reached the crime scene and cordoned off the area while the deceased and injured were taken to the Sandeman Provincial Hospital, Quetta where one of the policemen succumbed to his injures upon arrival at hospital.

According to sources, two of the assailants were also injured in retaliatory firing by the police but they escaped from the scene of the crime.

“Four of the victims belonged to the Shia community and it could be a case of sectarian target killing,” a senior police official said.

The deceased were identified as Haji Abdul Nabi and his son Mohammad Hassan, Mohammad Tariq and Abdul Manan.

The passerby was identified as Naqeebullah and the police constable as Hayatullah.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. A case has been registered against the unidentified persons and an investigation is under way. Sunday’s attack came as Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani flew to Quetta to discuss the law and order situation in the province, officials said.

(With additional input from AFP)

Published in The Express Tribune, June 4^th, 2012.

“Another such 30 camps are located across the border in Afghanistan,” FC’s Inspector General Maj Gen Obaidullah Khan told a press briefing at the force’s headquarters on Saturday. He claimed that some ‘foreign powers’ were funding these camps.

Giving the break-up, Maj Gen Khan said that 40 camps were being run by the Baloch Liberation Army, 26 by the Baloch Republican Army and 19 by the Baloch Liberation Front.

He called for a political solution to the Balochistan turmoil which, he believes, is ‘purely political’ in nature. However, he warned that anti-state elements would be dealt with an iron hand.

“Tit-for-tat action will be taken against those elements which are hell bent on dismembering Pakistan,” added Maj Gen Khan.

Barahamdag Bugti, chief of Balochistan Republican Party who is currently living in self-exile in Switzerland, said in interview with the BBC on Friday that his party would not accept anything less than ‘independence’ for Balochistan.

Maj Gen Khan, however, said that “nobody will be allowed to break up Pakistan. Those who talk about dismembering Pakistan will be dealt with full force of the law.”

Giving statistics on attacks by insurgents, the paramilitary force chief said that 575 subversive attacks took place in Balochistan in 2012. Of these, 258 strikes were claimed by Baloch insurgents.

In all, 254 people, including 57 FC troops, two army soldiers and 20 policemen were killed in these attacks.

However, he claimed that the number of terrorist attacks has come down in comparison with the pa st couple of years.

Maj Gen Khan regretted that some elements were feeding a slur campaign against the law enforcement agencies disregarding their countless ‘sacrifices’. “The FC is being demoralised through this targeted propaganda campaign,” he added.

He reiterated that the Levies force, a sort of tribal police, was capable of tackling the situation – the only thing they need is training to combat the insurgents. This matter has been taken up with the provincial government, according to him.

Maj Gen Khan called upon the people of Balochistan to help his paramilitary force in restoring lasting peace in the province. “Citizens should also play their role and help the security forces in foiling the nefarious designs of anti-state elements,” he added.

The FC chief also pointed out lacunas in the judicial system and vented his frustration at low conviction rate. “In 2011, 129 suspects were arrested for their involvement in different terrorist attacks. Of these, only 4 were handed out prison sentences, 50 were released and 61 are still in on trail,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2012.

QUETTA: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) Kalat district chief and former provincial minister Maulana Attaullah Langoh’s son was gunned down near DIG Operation office on the Spiny Road area of Quetta on Friday.

According to SP Sadar Malik Arshad, unknown armed men riding a motorcycle opened fire on a car. Langoh’s son, travelling in the car, was killed on the spot. Police rushed to the spot and shifted the deceased to the Sandeman Provincial Hospital Quetta for autopsy.

The deceased was identified as Hafiz Imdadullah, son of JUI Ameer Kalat district Maulana Attaullah Langoh.

“Hafiz Imdadullah’s car was stopped on Spiny road because of security reasons as a rally of Hazara Community was passing by the area. Meanwhile, some unknown persons came from the rally riding a motorcycle and opened fire on him,” SP Malik Arshad said and also informed that they have arrested both the suspects involved in the killing.

He also claimed of recovering two TT pistols from the suspects.

Langoh gave his statement in the Sandeman Provincial Hospital Quetta. He said that they were coming from Mangochar to Quetta to attend funeral prayers in the Mano Jan area.

“We were on our way to Kharotabad when we were stopped by police on Spiny Road. Meanwhile, two people coming from the rally riding a motorcycle started firing on our car,” he added.

DIG Operation Qazi Wahid, talking to the media at the hospital, said that the people involved in the killing will not be spared and police authorities will try their level best to provide justice to the bereaved family.

QUETTA: The police rounded up seven suspects, including three Afghan nationals, and seized explosive materials from two vehicles near Kuchlak, in the outskirts of Quetta, on Wednesday.

The police recovered 200 explosives, 110 landmines, 2,980 detonators, 6,800 remote control systems, 11 double battery devices, 11 two-way radios with batteries, 115 fuses, 3,000 metres of wire and 3,200 kilogrammes of potassium.

“Two vehicles packed with explosive materials were en route to Quetta from Zhob when they were intercepted by the New Kuchlak Police near Bostan Patakh,” Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Quetta Mir Zubair Mehmood told reporters during a news conference. He claimed the police foiled a major bid of terror by seizing such a large quantity of explosives.

All seven suspects were arrested and shifted to a police station for interrogation.

Quetta CCPO claimed the suspects intended to smuggle the explosives to Quetta for subversive activities. A case has been registered and the police have launched an investigation.

Mehmood said the police have increased patrolling in and around Quetta after frequent attacks on police and civilians. “Over 2,000 bombs could have been made from these explosive materials if it had reached Quetta,” he claimed.

According to CCPO Quetta, Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani has announced promotions and certificates for the New Kuchlak Police, led by SHO and ASI Mansoor Ahmed.

The suspects were identified as Mohammad Khan, Abdul Hakeem and Rafiullah from Afghanistan, Mehmood Khan and Hazebulla from Bostan and Rehmatullah and Mira Jan from Quetta.

Hazara man shot dead

Meanwhile, another man from the Hazara community was shot dead near a roadside hotel on the Joint Road in Quetta on Wednesday. According to the police, the victim, identified as Ali Mohamamd son of Gulam Ali Hazara, was on his cycle when assailants on a motorbike shot at him.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 31^st, 2012.