Speaking to a group of students from various institutions in Balochistan, the acting Chairman of the Senate, Jan Muhammad Jamali, has said the government intends to move the Provincial Autonomy Bill in the near future. Jamali claims that the bill addresses the grievances of the smaller provinces and will also eventually resolve issues between the provinces and the federal government. Jamali’s sincerity of purpose notwithstanding, the ‘good news’ from the senator comes at a time when the present assemblies are on the verge of completing their tenure and are quite unlikely to take up the bill for discussion, let alone its passage. The issue of provincial autonomy remains unresolved to date, especially with reference to the volatile situation in Balochistan where the government is facing an insurgency.
The resentment of the people of Balochistan against the federal government once again showed itself on the first death anniversary of Nawab Akbar Bugti, chief of the Jamhuri Watan Party, who was killed in an army operation in August last year.
A strike was observed across Balochistan and commercial activity came to a standstill on the day. It certainly reminded the Bugti tribe and the Baloch people in general, of how Akbar Bugti was treated even after he was killed. The secretive handling of his burial and the fact that people are not allowed to offer fateha at his grave without having the permission of the government has only added fuel to the fire. The government invited the wrath of the Bugti tribe, and the Baloch people in general, on the issue of Dr Shazia Khalid’s rape in January 2005, allegedly committed by an army officer.
That was certainly a blot on the Bugti tribe’s honour, which otherwise had no history of rising in rebellion against the army. The government, on its part, failed to deal wisely with the delicate situation. The recommendations of the parliamentary committees set up to defuse the situation on the political, economic and security aspects of Balochistan are gathering dust.
Had the recommendations of the reports been implemented, the concerns of the Baloch would have been allayed to a great extent. The conflict in Balochistan flared up once again in December 2005 after the firing of rockets on a Frontier Constabulary camp in Kohlu on the eve of the visit of President Pervez Musharraf and firing on a helicopter the next day that injured FC personnel.
Of the tribes putting up resistance to the military oppression in Balochistan, the Bugti tribe was picked out as the weakest link. The government’s policy of isolating the Bugti tribe and exploiting internal tribal feuds backfired. One of the manifestations of this is the joining of hands of Bramdagh Bugti, the grandson of Akbar Bugti, with the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
The government seems to think it has fulfilled its responsibility by starting and completing mega projects like the Gwadar Port. But it does not understand that no economic development can bring stability to the province unless the local people are given their due share. Sidelining the local people from the mega projects has added to the unrest among the local population.
The government should understand the pattern of war with the tribes. Since the Baloch tribes are no match for the state’s security forces, they have a record of holding out in armed resistance. Balochistan’s importance as a province rich in mineral resources, such as oil and gas, cannot be overstated. That explains the ‘interest’ of big powers like China and the US in Balochistan. In the light of the realities on the ground, the government should revise its policy on Balochistan and initiate a political dialogue with the nationalists.
http://www.thepost.com.pk/EditorialNews.aspx?dtlid=115232&catid=10 |
