Profile: Balochistan prepares to turn over new leaf

Doctor by profession, Dr Malik seeks cures for the province’s ills.

QUETTA: Dr Abdul Malik Baloch is neither a sardar nor a tribal elder. He is perhaps the first chief minister of Balochistan nominated from among the ranks of commoners and political workers. 

For the past four decades, Dr Malik has remained involved in active politics, maintaining most intimate contacts and relations with the ordinary workers in almost every corner of Balochistan.

A highly educated and seasoned politician, he is a medical graduate by profession. But he could hardly practice a career in the field due to his political engagements. He has remained a member of the provincial assembly, served as a minister and has played an important role as a senator in encouraging the PPP government to do away with the concurrent list and transfer all powers to the provinces.

The National Party chief fully used and exploited these realities in compelling the PPP government and other parties to surrender the concurrent list to the provinces and make the federating units more autonomous and independent.

Dr Malik is the first ever chief minister in the history of the province to hail from Makran. He belongs to Kech district, which is associated with the legend of Sassi-Punnu.

Dr Malik was born on 15 January 1958 in Juzak area of Kech Valley and received early education from the Government High School Turbat. During his studies he was an active member of Baloch Student Organization (BSO), founded in 1960’s by his elder brother Abdul Ghaffar Nadeem.

In 1982 he received the degree of MBBS from the Bolan Medical College Quetta and a diploma from the Spenser Eye Hospital Karachi. In 1988 he became a member of Provincial Assembly under the platform of Balochistan National Movement (BNM) and served as Health Minister till 1990.

He also remained Minister of Education for Balochistan from 1990 till the 1993. In 2003, Balochistan National Movement and Balochistan National Democratic Party were merged as National Party with Dr Abdul Hayee appointed as its first president.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2013.