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Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan package, Govt fail yet to deliver
July 15, 2011
A change in establishment’s mindset towards Balochistan, true implementation of Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e Balochistan package and the provincial leadership’s sincere and serious efforts for their people can significantly help redress the decade-long grievances of the Balochi people. Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti was killed during a massive military operation in the Bhambore Hills, an area between the cities of Kohlu and Dera Bugti. The operation was launched by a former military dictator Gen. (Retd) Pervez Musharraf. Former dictator Pervez Musharraf had displaced million of people during military operation in Dera Bugti who were spending miserable life in various parts of the country.
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Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for Balochistan Senator Mian Raza Rabbani tabled the Balochistan Package Aghaz Haqooq-e-Balochistan in the joint session of the Parliament in 2009 to remove the grievances of Baloch people. The Package comprised on 11 pages. The package announced several constitutional reforms and administrative and economics steps for the province.
The package has 39 clauses and out of which, 3 related to constitutional affairs, 5 to political issues, 13 related to administrative issues while clauses on economical matters are 13. Four clauses were related to the procedure of the monitoring. Under the package, talks would be started with the Baloch political forces aimed to bring them in the mainstream and facilities would be provided to Baloch leaders who are outside of the country but not to those who involved in terrorist incidents. The resolution passed by Balochistan Assembly in 2002 would be implemented while the power of carrying out any amendment on Local Bodies System has been awarded to the provincial government.
Under the administrative steps, the federal government would immediately review the role of federal agencies in the province and all operations would be halted except war against terrorism. Army in Sui would be replaced by frontier constabulary as demanded by Baloch leaders and no more cantonments to be built in Kohlu and Sui. A commission to be led by a retired judge of Supreme Court or High Court be formed for the murder of Nawab Akbar Bugti Nawab Akbar Shahbaz Khan Bugti. Under the package, a commission comprising judge of high judiciary of Balochistan to be formed for tracing missing people. Defence Minister, Interior Minister and the Home Minister of the province would be included in the commission.
The missing people would be traced and those who have no charges would be released immediately and those who have charges would be presented in the courts and their trial to be started within 7 days. Legal assistance would be provided to them and their relativities be allowed to meet their loved ones. The frontier core and coast guards would fall under chief minister. It was also suggested to take back powers given to FC under Custom Act.
Immediate funds will be provided for the affected areas in Balochistan due to sweeping floods. Special quota has been allocated for the students of Balochistan thus scholarship will be given to the outstanding students. The formula of royalty will be given impetus. The province will be given special representation in Sui Southern Gas Boards, OGDCL Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (Pakistan) boards and others. Lingering problem of Gas will be sorted out while new development projects will be laid down. New Megawatt projects will be started, he sad. Out of 30 percent shares of the Federal Government, 20 percent shares will be provided to Balochistan adding after completion of the projects, it will be fully handed over to the province.
The Federal Government will provide 1 billion to the Internally Displaced Persons of Dera Bugti. Small dams will be constructed in Quetta, Pashin, Qila Abdullah, Qila Saif Ullah, Zhob and others to cater the unremitting needs. All the announcements made in the Balochistan Package were good but vague implementation mechanism and lack of true representation in the provincial assembly is rendering Aghaz-i-Huqooq-i-Balochistan package slow and ineffective in delivering on Baloch people’s longstanding demand for rights. Balochistan is not ready to trust on Islamabad. Sincere efforts have not been made to include dissident Baloch leaders into national mainstream. So many packages were announced in past for Baloch people and implementation on them could not be done.
A change in establishment’s mindset towards Balochistan, true implementation of Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e Balochistan package and the provincial leadership’s sincere and serious efforts for their people can significantly help redress the decade-long grievances of the Balochi people. Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti was killed during a massive military operation in the Bhambore Hills, an area between the cities of Kohlu and Dera Bugti. The operation was launched by a former military dictator Gen. (Retd) Pervez Musharraf. Former dictator Pervez Musharraf had displaced million of people during military operation in Dera Bugti who were spending miserable life in various parts of the country.
The displaced people after a democratic Government had hoped that they would be rehabilitate in their areas and schemes would be launched from them. Nawab Aslam Riasani after taking charge as Chief Minister Balochistan had also vowed to rehabilitate displaced people. Speaker Balochistan Assembly also setup a funds for rehabilitation of displaced people of Balochistan but unfortunately not even a singly assembly Parliamentarian made a contribution in the fund. After the killing of Baloch tribal leader Akbar Khan Bugti in Kohlu on August 26, the displacement of the local people from the area, a consequence of the continuing military operation, still a big crisis in Balochistan. According to the United Nations, the strength of displaced people are 80,000 in Balochistan. A survey by the UN stated majority of the displaced people, now residing in Quetta, Naseerabad and Jaffarabad districts of Balochistan, suffer from deteriorating nutritional situation and the situation has grown even worse with the onset of winter.
Majority of the displaced people have come into the districts of Quetta, Naseerabad and Jaffaraba. These people fled their homes to escape the situation in Dera Bugti and Kohlu districts of Balochistan. The ground realities apart, the government on both federal and provincial level is not ready to admit the negative impacts of the military operation in the province. The leaks of such large scale displacements are an indicator that things have yet not settled in Balochistan. The federal and the provincial government must come forward with solid measures to resolve the issue of displacement.
It seems that government has never been serious about resolving the problems of Balochistan. The government had never made a committee of members, who would settle the issues by holding talks with the concerned people. Throwing bullet-riddled and mutilated bodies at public places must be stopped, and that all the political prisoners should be released with immediate effect so that grounds could be created for talks and negotiations. Balochistan is burning; if fire is not brought under control, it will engulf the entire country. The policies of dictators are still being practiced in Balochistan where extra-judicial arrests, targeted killings and hostage-taking are the order of the day. Balochistan has also been neglected on other fronts as well. For instance there are merely few people from Balochistan in the Federal government departments. It is high tine the federal as well as the provincial governments give due importance to the poor & underdeveloped section of Balochistan. Admit & give due rights to the people of Balochistan. Modern & well equipped educational institutions ought to be built in Balochistan.
Dialogue is the best way for the solution of all disputes not force. Dialogue has to be exercised in Balochistan with angry Baloch nationalists, if the government wants peace & stability in Balochistan.
In short, Balochistan needs immediate attention because it is being neglected for decades. The best course of action will be to heal its wounds to win back the Baloch people who are feeling cheated and left to their own devices.
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