Senator Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo. PHOTO: ZAFAR ASLAM
As Senator Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo announced the merger of the Awami Party with the National Party (NP) on Saturday, a fresh appeal was made for extensive land reforms in Balochistan.
“Ending the ‘sardari nizam’ (feudal system) and enforcing agricultural tax is crucial for progress and prosperity in Balochistan,” the senator said at a news conference in Islamabad. He told reporters that land reforms were part of both NP’s constitution and the ten-point agenda agreed with the Awami Party prior to the merger.
Bizenjo said there was also a need to end extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances in Balochistan. He added that Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch’s government was pursuing the issue with the federal government and such incidents had been drastically reduced due to their efforts. “No incidents of extra-judicial killing have surfaced in the last six months and hopefully the missing persons’ issue will also be resolved in the coming months.”
The senator held past military regimes responsible for creating trouble in Balochistan and pushing the province towards extreme backwardness.
“Pakistan’s ruling class, particularly the military regimes, played a key role in pushing the nation towards poverty and lawlessness,” he added.
Bizenjo said the Balochistan government was trying to initiate talks with nationalist rebels – including Brahamdagh Bugti, the grandson of Nawab Akbar Bugti – and bring them into mainstream politics. However, he added that they could do nothing if the rebels refused to talk.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 29th, 2013.
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Feudalism should have been wiped out decades if not centuries ago. An unholy alliance between the decadent feudal system and the religious straight jacket on the minds of the masses, have kept the people of Pakistan backwards.
Very well said. Feudal system needs to go to ring prosperity to the local and common Baloch.and there should not be A, B, and C areas in Balochistan. All province should be one and yes missing persons issue needs to be sorted out as soon as possible to bring stability and peace in Balochistan and make separatist appeal less appealing for common Balochis.