The prime minister on Balochistan
It is hard to know how seriously to take Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s speech on Balochistan.
It is hard to know how seriously to take Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s speech on Balochistan which he delivered on October 11. Speaking at the induction ceremony of 5,000 recruits from the province into the army, the prime minister declared that he would ensure that the injustices against the Baloch would not be tolerated. The sentiment is certainly a worthy one but is no different to those offered by Gilani and his government on many previous occasions, and moreover, it exists mostly, for now, on paper. The truth is that only the military can dampen separatist ardour in the province because it was the high-handedness of the military that created the insurgency in the first place. As long as the paramilitary is stationed in the province, there will always be a sense of alienation because many Baloch see it as more of an occupying force. Two years ago, the government announced a much-hyped 61-point reforms package. The Balochistan package was unanimously passed by parliament but its implementation has proved to be such a struggle that Raza Rabbani, the Senate committee chairman in charge of doing so, gave up in frustration. From electricity generation projects to allowing exiled Baloch leaders to return, the government has stalled on just about every reform measure. Even relatively simple tasks like building hospitals have been delayed.
Without a doubt, government apathy has added to the popularity of the separatist movement. It may take a long time but efforts have to be made to win over those who are alienated and sympathetic to the cause of the separatists. A start can be made by the state in all earnestness to at least address the issue of the missing persons. Even now, almost every other day, or even more frequently, bodies of Baloch nationalist activists are turning up all over the province. Responding to allegations, the military has said that it is not behind these disappearances — so at the very least, it should help in an investigation into who is actually behind them, so that they can he held accountable. This should be accompanied by fully implementing the Eighteenth Amendment, and allowing the province full financial benefits as those accruing from its vast mineral resources. These are two, but much-needed, initial steps on what will have to be a long journey towards reconciliation.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 13th, 2011.
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The PPP-led coalition government since its inception has been making efforts to reconcile with the dissident Baloch leaders and is ready to hold talks with them. Unlike previous regime , PPP Government is quite eager to bring stability in Balochistan and it was not a mere lip service, PPP Government practically took several steps to clean the mess created by ex-dictator Musharraf. Infact there are ubiquitous ‘foreign hand’ destabilizing Balochistan. The Nationalist should also adopt a pragmatic approach and join hands with Government to resolve issues leading to the miseries of people and unrest in Balchistan. Government has promised to remove the grievances of Baloch people and it has taken steps to remove concerns. It is a democratic Government and I am sure it will not follow in the footstep of General Musharraf’s repressive policy towards Baloch. I do believe under this democratic dispensation watch there will be prosperity and normality in Balochistan sooner or later.