After eight years of dictatorship, a big administrative change is on the cards and some of the receptive political parties have declared that ‘a worst democracy is much better than a good dictatorship’. People are very hopeful due to this big administrative change and expect that no past mistakes would be made and they would be compensated. Now, the new government is raising political slogans of providing bread, cloth and shelter to poor public and is expressing its sympathy with the Baloch. The government not also begged pardon for mistakes done in the past rather established a reconciliatory committee for the solution of their common problems which have been started doing works. This committee has been awarded by the name of ‘Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Masalahati Committee for Balochistan’ and is being presided over by Senator Dr Babar Awan. Dr Babar Awan visited Balochistan some days ago and met intellectuals, journalists, and political leaders at a two-day seminar arranged there. He also discussed with the ruling authorities the problems of people in Balochistan. He emphasized that it is necessary to make all institutions constitutional and democratic through process of harmony, and war situation should be removed as soon as possible.
Journalists of Balochistan also declared this harmony process a good sign and gave a proposal to make all provinces independent to reconstruct a strong federation. For the recovery of kidnapped people the committee has established two sub-committees at Dera Bugti and in Marri for the rehabilitation.
Senator Dr Babar Awan during the seminar also said that the harmony process to resolve the problems and issues of Balochistan is very difficult but not impossible. PPP has become the ruling party after crossing a sea of blood. Now, we are going to give relief to the masses. We will fight for their rights in Islamabad. We will also ensure that we will reinstate their rights instead of only demand which were occupied by unconstitutional rulers of Pakistan in the past.
The Establishment has played its game, and now it is our turn. Due to weak policies and conspiracies of the Establishment and military the country has been divided into parts. Establishment is trying to hurt Pakistan’s political stability and economy. We will expose them and frustrate their evil designs. We believe in democracy not in dictatorship. We wish to solve all issues by democratic and political way. We will also make sure that the committee provides all solutions to the public problems and make Balochistan a prosperous province. We don’t believe in any separation strategy of a party as our only aim is to make it powerful on socio-economic level. We want to end the role of Establishment and military rule. We will let them go back and will not tolerate any mafia or qabza group. We have come to give independence and power back to the people. Now it is time to take decision and join hands to make this province a better place to live and center of trade and economy. We are practical and don’t believe in slogans. For this, we have established two committees for the recovery and transportation of people from Dera Bugti and Marri. Nawabzada Haji Lashkari Raisani, Sardar Nazeer Ahmad Jogazai, Abdul Samad Marghzani, Faizullah Joyo, Abdul Rahim Zafar, Sardar Omar Gorgage, Advocate Malik Mumtaz, Sardar Tahir Ahmad Khan and Qazi Nazir Ahmad are part of these committees.
I also request the journalist community to join us to reinstate the confidence of people again. He said the PPP was trying its best to protect all rights of Baloch. We will not disappoint people and will work together for the betterment of province. We are also ready to negotiate with any party or tribe that joins hands in our mission.
For the utmost solutions and harmony process in Balochistan all forces and political parties showed their willingness. We have good relations with all forces and hope to see good news in the near future. President PPP Balochistan Haji Lashkari Raisani said that we are ready to support and we have taken firm decision for the proper solution of Balochistan. We will arrange policies according to the will of people and will implement them. Balochistan’s issue is not hunger and poverty rather it is national identity. We will take solid steps to give Balochistan an important recognition in the federal government.
Senior journalists, different editors of daily newspapers and magazines Majeed Asghar, Siddique Baloch, Anwar Sajjidi, President Quetta Press Club Shahzada Zulfiqar, Saleem Shahid, Malik Afzal, Ayyub Tareen and other also expressed their views during the seminar.
They lauded the services of PPP government and urged it not to repeat the mistakes done in the past.
New policies will be framed so that people will take interest and support the central government to end tension and hate that is prevalent in Balochistan. Speakers also pointed out that the present progressive project of PPL SANDAK Project, RECO-DIC, OGDCL, GDA etc., started without the will of local people was producing bad air in the related locality. Their central offices and effective involvement are also not present in Balochistan. It is requested to set up offices for these projects and provide employment to the local people. We want proper solution without wasting any more time. Big political leaders are still in jails so their release order should be issued as promised by the government otherwise it will leave a bad effect on the minds of people. Need of the time is that operation throughout province should be ceased soon and recovery of kidnapped people be brought into action. New colonial projects should be started for those people who moved from Dera Bugti and Marri due to operations in those areas. Governor Balochistan also provided a list of 900 kidnapped people but not a single person has been recovered so far which is not good for the government.
Harmony process has been started in Balochistan. Release of former state minister and President Balochistan National Party (BNP) Sardar Akhtar Jan Mengal is not enough. Other political leaders should also be released otherwise it would leave a negative impression on the government.
On the other hand, the government is talking about the harmony process and at the same time, operations are still in progress.
Senator Dr Babar Awan claimed that there is no separatist movement in Balochistan but at the same time a chain of attacks on security forces is continuously producing a number of questions about ‘Azad Balochistan’ (Free Balochistan). Security forces also have started operations in areas of Sui Lanjju Saghari, Denari Pat, Mandrani Pat Moza which contradicts the government statements. More than 30 people have been arrested and 2 killed during these operations at Lanjju Saghari in clashes between the army and the militants.
Son of Nawab Akbar Bugti Shaheed, President Jamhoori Watan Party Nawab Jameel Akbar Bugti has said that the government is trying to negotiate through guns and operations in Lanjju Saghari was the gift of so-called democratic and political ruling party in the country.
Baloch will not become the part of such harmony process or negotiation process. He said the government is telling lie and raising hollow slogans whereas operations in Dera Bugti and Sui are still underway. In the areas of Sui, Lanjju Seghari, Denari Pat, Mandrani Pat the military started operations and a number of casualties are on record. More than two dozen persons have been arrested. Nawab Akbar Bugti Shaheed always told media that government is negotiating through bombardment and bullets which is not good.
Practical steps are more effective than delivering statements for newspapers. The government cannot control all forces and some external forces are involved which were creating unhealthy environment throughout the province. Some parties say Balochistan has become a place of few international forces. These forces are giving rise to fire of hate among people.
Now it is our duty to find out who is responsible for creating this hate in the eyes of Baloch? Who is trying to create obstacles in the way of harmony process? Who is making Balochistan a land of terrorism? When these forces will be exposed before the people?
