QUETTA: The government is making desperate efforts to win over the people of Balochistan – a cauldron of ethnic and sectarian tensions – and remove their deep scars of alienation.
Though, for the better part, the alienation is rooted in decades of ‘deprivation’ among the local Baloch populace, the authorities believe some ‘world powers’ are also exploiting the situation to weaken the country.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, who is currently touring the province, said that some ‘external forces’ have their eyes set on the precious natural resources of Balochistan.
The statement came a day after the head of the paramilitary Frontier Corps claimed that ‘foreign powers’ were stoking and fuelling the Baloch insurgency in the province.
The premier said the people of Balochistan are patriotic citizens of Pakistan. “Balochistan is close to my heart. [The government will work] for the welfare of its people,” he told a delegation of the Pakistan Peoples Party lawmakers at the Governor House in Quetta.
In order to address the sense of deprivation among the local people, the premier said that he has directed the provincial chief secretary to identify 35,000 Baloch graduates who will be hired in government departments.
“Fifteen hundred jobs in the Levies Forces have already been provided to the people of Balochistan,” he added.
Gilani said that the federal government would also recruit another 10,000 youth in different departments and out of them 5,000 would be sent on foreign trainings after acquisition of required skills in their respective fields.
Education
Premier Gilani said that under the 7th National Finance Commission Award, Balochistan’s share has gone up to Rs120 billion as compared to Rs40 billion in the past. He said the federal government has set aside Rs6 billion for providing scholarships to the students of Balochistan.
He added that Rs5 billion would be provided to the poor families of the province in a bid to assist them financially.
Development
Pledging to expedite the development of the biggest province of the country, the premier stated that Rs3.2 billion has been allocated this year for the completion of the road between Rato-Dero and Gwadar.
“This road would help make the Gwadar port operational and it will improve connectivity between the three provinces.”
Seatrain violence
Separately, in a meeting with representatives of the Hazara community, the prime minister said that peace and tranquillity would be ensured in the province at all costs.
He voiced sympathy with them over their killing of their five community members in a targeted attack on Sunday. “We are equally grieved about the sad incident and our heartfelt sympathies are with the bereaved families,” he added.
Premier Gilani directed the chief and home secretaries to improve law and order in the province. Concerted strategy must be evolved to ensure peace and tranquillity, he said, adding that leniency on the part of law-enforcers would not be tolerated.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 4th, 2012.
COMMENTS (17)
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Read a good study on Balochistan here that addresses major problems: http://www.mediapoint.pk/study-balochistan-jun-2012/
The Pashtun Belt in balochistan is constantly deprived of funds and big projects. No wonder the demand of Janobi Pakhtunkhwa or south pakhtunkhwa province is justified.
Mr Prime Minister. get out of my land and we will create jobs by our own selves. We assure you we will also hire jobless Pakistanis and treat them better than they treated us in past so many decades.
Stop crting about these provinces we all Punjabi, Balochi, Pathan,Sindi are one ! We PAKISTANIS need jobs not only Balochis or Punjabis . Pakistan Zindabad!
Jobs where?? PIA, steel mill railways, you have already run those into the ground with overstaffing. Give the Balochs and others living in the province safety security and good schools and theyll be able to make opportunities for themselves. Kick out all the criminal elements from the province whether local or from accross the (fluid) border and reduce the absolute power of local feudals. There are no shortcuts to resolving this mess
55% of Balochistan is Pashtun, whats did he talk about them? they are the bond between Balochistan and Pakistan, yet both the CM and Governor are Baloch. Their sardars only know plundering the funds given to Balochistan and then say their people are living miserable lives.
Election are on the head and they want votes thats what reminded them of Baluchistan after long five years. Shame on our leaders.......
Is Balochistan just about Baloch youth. What about the Pashtuns who are part and partial of this land. Prime Minister should have known that Pashtuns forms a very large proportion of the Balochistan Population. Is it because they do not ferment trouble for the Provincial and Federal Government. They are already suffering in all Government in jobs and representation in provincial assembly because of the idiocy of clergy and too belligerent Baloch leadership
fool me once shame on you fool me twice shame on me.
Good work PM try and deliver them these resources. ..
You can spend all you can on Baluchistan but the ground reality won't change until the border with Afghanistan is sealed. The anti state criminals are sent from across the border in Afghanistan where they are supported by Indian agencies. We know that the majority of Baluch are pro Pakistani which is why so many of them are signing up to join the Pak military. What the government needs to do is deal firmly with neighbouring nations who are causing trouble.
Dont give them jobs but please dont kill & dump them. Baloch mothers have had enough crying on dead bodies of their sons. This is very high cost to pay for keeping integrity of Pakistan. Let them go if this their choice.
Too little, too late. Closing the barn door after the horse has escaped... etc etc. (Insert your own idiom here.) But the fact is Balochistan is past the point of no return.
It was stupid of PML N to reduce its share in the NFC for a corrupt and incompletent PPP govt. in Baluchistan.
It is the politics of exclusion that is at the core of the Baluchistan. Jobs may help to ease the tension but what will matter in the long-run is giving them their due political share.
Stop trying to treat the public as fools. You are a corrupt and incompetent who has done nothing to sort out the countries dire problems. Imran Khan is the next PM insha-allah