Kalat joined Pakistan on the agreement that defence, currency, foreign office and finance will be controlled by the federal govt but that the rest the province will control by itself. However, after the death of Mr. Jinnah, formation of one unit changed this situation and it was merged into Pakistan like other areas. After independence in 1947, with the British gone, to this day, Balochistan has not experienced much development. Due to historical poverty as result of its geographic location and royalty’s formula which benefits a handful of few tribal leaders, it has developed at a much slower rate than other parts of Pakistan. Balochistan, a tribal land where freedom does not come easy for a common man, illiteracy is promulgated to keep population under control of the wayward feudal system, and the feudal themselves struggle for recognition by the federal government and other provinces.
The population of this province is approximately eight million, comprising nearly 44 percent of the country’s landmass and is, by far, the richest one in terms of natural resources. Today most of the young and middle age population of this province are deprived of basic necessities of life, namely: Clean drinking water, health units, schools, hospitals, jobs, roads, railways and economic growth. Why is the provincial Government in Balochistan not meeting up with all the above? Why does the army have to do all the above for the people of that area? If the army has to do the job of maintenance of law and order in Balochistan and do the work of provision of social amenities for the Baloch, what is the job of the provincial government?
It is estimated around 90% of girls in Balochistan are deprived of schooling, a lack of necessary funds, absence of a well defined education policy, lack of girls schools, acute shortage of teaching staff, and poverty are other factors which contribute to the backwardness of the province. Except for the provincial capital Quetta, educational institutions are non-existent on Baloch dominated areas. One cannot find schools from Mastung to Gwadar, most neglected parts of this province where Baloch girls are not educated are: Buleda (Makran), Kharan, Bolan, Marri and Bugti tribal areas. A primary level school that was established in the remote area of district Khuzdar at Naal (1975-76) is still not upgraded by the provincial government, despite repeated demands of the local people.
Students of Balochistan have been deprived from their basic human right which is education: A lack of educational institutions from school to university. There is only one medical college, only one engineering university. Transferring education to province will make difference if it is implemented with its true sense.
The parallel economy thriving in Balochistan is smuggling in which local tribal heads and numerous politicians have used their backing. It is quantum & earnings particularly from drug trafficking, gun running, contraband goods and cars/vehicles has increased greatly, which is literally crippling the country’s economy. It is mainly due to the long and porous borders that provide a wide choice and flexibility to the smugglers and their goods.
The role of the police is confined to the municipalities while the rural area is traditionally policed by the Levies. 8 provincial ministers have purchased smuggled bullet-proof vehicles. Which is said that these bullet-proof vehicles were booked from UAE for Afghanistan and after that these were brought to Quetta through the routes which were used for smuggling of goods from Afghan border in Qila Abdullah district. 0.4 to 0.5 million rupees are paid for bringing these vehicles from Afghan border to Quetta, sources said, and added that through this act a huge loss has been inflicted to the national kitty. In 2009, rocket launchers, mortar shells, SMG/Kalashnikovs, RPG-7 rockets, 107mm antiaircraft guns, antitank mines, and antipersonnel mines were seized which belonged to a high-profile official who is a member of the Balochistan cabinet. Balochistan is not only a smuggling destination; it now holds stockpiles of illegal weapons. Border issues are the biggest reason for the growth in arms trafficking. Past governments have made half-hearted efforts to seize illicit arms or regularize the sale of weapons. The Chaman check post is considered to be a hub of smuggling. (Without the involvement of border security forces guns and other merchandize cannot be smuggled into the province, there is something suspicious at upper level)
As the Eid-ul-Azha nears, Balochistan witnesses an unprecedented increase in illegal cattle and flock smuggling to Afghanistan and Iran. Over a hundred trucks loaded with cattle and flocks cross the Iran and Afghan borders with complete impunity. Smugglers can also transport cattle on foot. A driver of single truck load of such animals, pays around Rs 30,000 to personnel concerned, they include; Frontier Corps, Customs and Federal Investigation Agency for backing the illegal smuggling, and the DCs, Commissioners who issue the permits to the smugglers. If the DCs and Commissioners stop the issue of permits, FC and other agencies will also have no excuse to let these people smuggle the animals or recycle the old permits. A point regarding FC Balochistan: This force has no semblance of a disciplined unit of an armed force. They are involved in all type of grafts and smuggling.
All Pakistani Central governments, especially post-Musharraf, has deserted the province and the army and ISI have an overwhelming role, because of which the insurgency is now getting out of Islamabad's control. It shows why reconciliation efforts, like the 18th Amendment and the NFC awards, have been unable to stop the Baloch from pursuing what they call a nationalist movement. According to the HRCP’s statement in December 2011: This land of extra judicial killings, disappearances, Security forces (SF) high handedness, and repression, as well as a playground for terrorists operating. The Province witnessed 711 fatalities, including 542 civilians, 122 SF personnel and 47 militants in 2011, as against 347 fatalities, comprising of 274 civilians, 59 SF personnel and 14 militants in 2010, Overall fatalities in 2011 thus increased by 104.89 per cent over the preceding year. Incidents of killing rose by 116 per cent, from 150 in 2010 to 321 in 2011. Further, the number of major incidents (each involving three or more fatalities) increased by 152.17 percent, with 58 such incidents recorded in 2011, as against 23 in 2010. Bodies; of at least 225 ‘missing persons’ have been recovered from various parts of the Province since July 2010. The situation is particularly grave for non-Muslims and minority Muslim sects. As many as 80 members of the Shia community have been killed in the Province this year [2011] alone, for no reason other than their religious belief. HRCP also has serious concern at targeted killing of teachers, intellectuals and non-Baloch ‘settlers’ in Balochistan. The murder of two HRCP activists and three journalists in the Province in 2011 signifies the dangers that those highlighting human rights violations face on a daily basis. It is a matter of grave alarm that 107 new cases of enforced disappearance have been reported in Balochistan in 2011, and the ‘missing persons’ are increasingly turning up dead. It is scandalous that not a single person has been held accountable for these disappearances and killings.
Terrorist violence in Balochistan has had a significant sectarian overlay. Balochistan witnessed 89 fatalities in 12 incidents of sectarian violence in 2011. 11 of these occurred in Quetta alone, with 63 persons killed. The remaining incident occurred in Mastung District. In the worst such attack in 2011, 26 Shia pilgrims were shot dead by Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) militants in Taftan, a town that shares border with Iran, in the Ganjidori area of Mastung District, on September 20, 2011.
Amidst all this mayhem, where there is a will there is a way, provided if we REALLY want to: There are 2 ways to tackle the issue. First is the Baloch way which is to leave them alone and make them master of their own destiny and let the evolution process take place, may be slow but relatively peaceful. Alternate to that is number of steps: First build road networks in Baloch Area, followed by good school with good teachers, followed by hospitals and homes, create jobs for the youth of the province. All this can be done by generating money right from Baloch land. Bolan area offers a lot for the generation of economic activity. An irrigation network can be established, cotton can be grown, ginning factories can be established and livestock can be reared to accrue benefits to the local people. There is an urgent need to generate economic activity in Balochistan. Further, instead of giving the army or its allied departments — including the ISI and the FC –the role of the police, IB and CID should be strengthened. Balochistan needs to be administered on civilized terms. Baloch do not want any development planning done by Islamabad. They liked that Local Government System. We have to respect Baloch People and their wishes. Public is innocent and illiterate they are making ends meet on day to day basis, Sardars want to stay on top, they think they are the owners of all of the resources of Balochistan, they manage militants, they are also responsible for killing non-Balochi’s in the province with the help and money of Afghanistan, Iran, UAE, India, America, China.
The Baloch are a proud people and need not be messed with. Brothers must walk together. Having said that, even a hint of the openly violated UN UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS makes me sick:
ReplyDeleteArticle 26
1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
PS: You don't want to know what all THIS means!
Way to go Lady, Way to go..... Yes, we in India understand this so much.... so very well expounded and more Power to the Girl Child...
ReplyDeleteExcellent article Zee, its very balanced with positive indicators to what should be done in that troubled area also with zero rhetoric...thats the best part. Thumbs up!
ReplyDeleteGood article!
ReplyDeleteA big thanks to all of you.
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