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M R Klasra
The prime minister needs to put on a political hat to resolve the crises in Balochistan
The 17th January meeting of the federal cabinet convened to discuss the volatile situation in Balochistan ended without any recommendations to resolve the crisis. While it was widely expected that this emergency meeting would disclose a workable proposal to help resolve the Balochistan crisis, sources privy to the meeting claim the prime minister?Ts cabinet discussed ?oeverything but political solutions? and ranted on about traditional methods of disciplining ?~unruly?T nationalist forces.
Insiders say the situation has been worsened by the fact that intelligence reports, instead of focusing on indigenous causes for the unrest in Balochistan and the Northern Areas, are trying to shift blame on foreign intelligence agencies.
?oOf course, foreign elements cannot be dismissed and adversaries would like to fish but they can only fish in troubled waters; they can?Tt trouble the waters to fish,? says an analyst. ?oThe government has to address the causes and once it takes that direction, it would begin to make irrelevant any foreign element bent on doing mischief.?
But the interesting thing is that while the cabinet discussion veered off to the presence of foreign elements, even after four hours of deliberations and discussions, the cabinet was unable to categorically name the country allegedly behind the violent disturbances.
?oThe officials who alleged that a foreign country was instigating violence in Balochistan are obviously not ready to reveal even to their own prime minister and his team of ministers the identity of these malicious foreign elements,? quipped an observer.
Recently, both the government and intelligence agencies have been creating a lot of confusion by suggesting that ?~some?T foreign country ?" which they have yet to name ?" is instigating and backing nationalist and anti-state forces in Balochistan and the Northern Areas. As a result, the public and the media have unnecessarily begun to point fingers at Iran, Afghanistan and India.
The minutes of the cabinet meeting are interesting and show that a very sub-standard level of briefing and debate was carried out at the meeting. The documents reveal that Shaukat Aziz spoke during most of the course of the meeting while the 62 members of the cabinet listened silently.
Aziz briefed the cabinet about the law and order situation in Balochistan, particularly with reference to the attacks on the Sui Gas field due to which the supply of gas to some parts of the country was disrupted. Those present at the meeting were informed of the damage to the economy that runs into billions of rupees as a result of the Balochistan crisis. Detailed briefings were also given by Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao, the governor and chief minister of Balochistan and the heads of intelligence agencies.
?oIn all these briefings, it was mentioned that nationalistic forces wreaking havoc in Balochistan and the Northern Areas were being backed by ?~some?T foreign country,? said a cabinet member. ?oHowever, no one named the country fueling these nationalistic forces.?
Sources at the meeting said that cabinet members were also apprised of the fact that after the attack on Sui gas installments, the Balochistan government had requested Islamabad to assist them in protecting the Sui gas field, vital gas installations and other strategic assets of the state.
?oThe prime minister said that Balochistan was a matter of the country?Ts integrity and that there was no difference of opinion on that point,? said a source. ?oHe [prime minister] clarified that there were no plans of a large scale army operation in Balochistan but that the army was being deployed there solely for the protection of Sui gas fields and vital installations.?
Aziz defended the role of federal agencies in Balochistan and said that the provincial government had sought help from the federal government in accordance with the constitution. He told the cabinet that it was the government?Ts resolve to utilise all its resources to assist the Balochistan government in maintaining law and order in Sui.
?oCabinet members were also told that the situation in Balochistan had been brewing for several years,? said a source. ?oHowever, as far as solutions were concerned, there was just talk of a firm and coordinated response to send a clear message to miscreants and anti-state elements.?
With that said, the meeting digressed from the subject it was supposed to discuss ?" the situation in Balochistan ?" to the Gawadar project as well as other major development projects being undertaken in Balochistan. ?oWhile no solutions were offered for the Balochistan crisis, it was affirmed that ?~everything?T would be done to ensure that development works in Balochistan were completed,? said a source. ?oThe prime minister revealed that these projects were worth Rs130 billion and included the construction of the Gwadar port, Mirani dam, coastal highways and Pat Feeder canal and the provision of gas and electricity to remote areas of Balochistan.?
A source says the jargon at times was impressive: ?~harmonized and synergised response which ensured establishing the writ of the government through enhanced security, effective administrative machinery and involvement of masses in the development process?T. ?oThis sounds big and thoughtful but in reality is nothing but hot air,? said an analyst. ?oHow can this be done when the government has no strategy to reach out to the people of Balochistan??
Prime minister Aziz is disturbed by the fact that the situation in Balochistan is adversely affecting the country?Ts economy. Sources say he is also deeply concerned about foreign investment that is needed to attend to the mega projects in the province. But so far, he has not shown the political skill to address the issues in that province.
?oAziz has done well as a finance person who understands how important Balochistan is to the economy,? said an analyst. ?oHowever, he now has to put on a political hat and tackle the Balochistan problem as a politician. Without that the mega projects are unlikely to take off.?
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