25 April 2005	Monday	15 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1426

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LAHORE, April 24: Giving up the standard cost-benefit formula, the government has now adopted a ‘strategic approach’ for quicker development of Balochistan in an attempt to bring it on a par with other provinces, the governor of the country’s most backward province said here on Sunday.

Owais Ghani Khan said at a seminar on the problems of his province that President Musharraf had already indicated that more funds would be given to Balochistan in addition to its share on the basis of population. For this purpose, he said, the formula for the division of federal resources could be changed in accordance with some understanding to be reached by the representatives of the four provinces.

He said the quantum of provincial autonomy would also be enhanced according to the demands of the situation.

Since the change of formula for resources’ division and provincial autonomy would not be possible without a constitutional amendment, the governor said the government would require some time to complete the procedural formalities.

Various leaders from Balochistan expressed their dissatisfaction over the state of affairs in their province, saying the situation would have been far better if the province had been given control over its own resources, including minerals.

A soft-spoken Owais Ghani explained the steps taken by him after becoming the governor about two years ago and the discussions he had held with the president on the subject.

Ruling out the governor’s rule or a military action, he said all problems would be settled through a political dialogue. He said it was regrettable that attacks on national installations had continued even when the government was holding talks with various Balochistan leader. The government did not retaliate, and instead adhered to the policy of restraint to ensure that the talks were not interrupted.

As for deployment of the army to protect installations at Sui, the governor said the step had become unavoidable after some 650 rockets were fired at the most sensitive field. The Frontier Constabulary and the paramilitary forces were not able to meet the challenge because of which the government called in the army, he explained.

The governor also gave a brief account of the talks he had held with Nawab Akbar Bugti and reservations expressed by the latter about the establishment of new cantonments in Balochistan. He complained that there was no let-up in violence even when the talks between the two sides were going on.

Governor Khan said the parliamentary committee set up to look into the Balochistan problems and propose their solutions had completed most of its work. However, he said, for constitutional amendments the matter would go to parliament which alone could pass them.

He said governance and development faced a serious challenge in Balochistan because society was undergoing a change. The tribal society was in a transition to a development-oriented society, a process which was being vehemently opposed by vested interests. Thus, he said, an invisible war was going on between the supporters of the status quo and advocates of a change.

The governor said President Musharraf knew it well that Balochistan had not been given its due share in the past. But, he said, he was determined to make up for the neglect of the past.

Opposition leader in Balochistan Assembly Kachkol Ali alleged that resources of Balochistan were being used by other provinces. He said people of the province did not want the country to disintegrate and they were only demanding their share in resources.

Senator Amanullah Kinrani of the JWP said his province would be able to meet its development requirements if it was given control of its resources.

He proposed that except for defence, currency and foreign affairs which should remain with the centre, all other subjects should be transferred to provinces.

He said Akbar Bugti was fighting for the rights of his province and he was not against the country.

Senator Sanaullah Baloch of the Balochistan National Party held Islamabad responsible for the backwardness of his province. He said governors for his province were sent from other provinces, though local people were quite capable of shouldering the responsibility. The chief secretary, the home secretary, the IGP, the Nadra director-general and officials on all other key posts had also been sent from other provinces, he said.

According to him, the people of Balochistan were not being given jobs in their own province.

Senator Muhammad Ali Brohi of the MQM demanded more funds for Balochistan and said it should be left to the provincial government and the assembly to decide which projects it would like to set up.

He also proposed an all-party conference of nationalist parties to discuss measures to bring an end to what, he called, unrest in Balochistan. He said provinces should be given maximum autonomy.

PML Secretary-General Jaffar Khan Mandokhel alleged that the succeeding governments had neglected the province due to which it could not make progress.

He said the provinces should be given autonomy and funds according to the 1973 Constitution. He said area backwardness and taxes collected by a particular province should also be a consideration at the time of division of federal resources.

Dr Abdul Hayee Baloch, in a very bitter tone, criticized the “rulers from the Punjab” and said they were responsible for the backwardness of Balochistan.

He said the recent rains had affected 22 out of 26 districts in his province. But he regretted that the excessive rainwater which would have been sufficient to meet the requirements for some eight years had gone into the sea because there was no facility to store it.

Punjab PML Secretary-General Chaudhry Zaheeruddin said people of his province were also facing problems similar to their brethren in Balochistan. However, he believed that the situation would improve in the times ahead as the president, the prime minister and the ruling party president were determined to solve all problems in the shortest time.

Former governor Ghulam Mustafa Khar, former ISI chief Lt-Gen Hameed Gul (retired), Awami Qiadat Party Secretary-General Aziz Awan, Khwaja Zahid Pervez, Bishop Dr Alexander John Malik and Tanvir Qureshi also spoke.