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LAHORE: Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch has said general elections in his province are always “managed”.
“We discussed this issue with the establishment and asked it to hand over the provincial government to those who had obtained votes,” he said while speaking at a seminar on “Stability in Balochistan: Challenges and Possibilities” at the Punjab University here on Monday.
He said the Baloch had the first right to the resources of their province. “If this does not happen, there will be another insurgency in the province,” he warned.
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To resolve the issues of the province once and for all, he said, “we need to change the mindset or else no one will be able to control the sixth insurgency”.
He said the Baloch were very conscious about their identity and resources. “We will not allow anyone to turn us into Red Indians.”
The chief minister said the Balochistan issue was of a political nature and it should be resolved in a political way. “The issue cannot be resolved through the use of force.”
He said Balochistan was located in a conflict zone. “If hatred decreases in the province, it will bring stability to the country.”
Dr Baloch said the Baloch insurgency in the past was not “revolutionary but reactionary”.
He said Balochistan had always had a “non-functional” government, but the 2013 general elections had led to a “functional government” in the province.
The law and order situation in the province had improved to a considerable extent. Shops in Quetta used to shut down after sunset, but now markets remain open till 3am on the eve of Eid, the chief minister added.
He asked students of Balochistan to focus on acquiring education and said the government would provide them opportunities to utilise their talent.
Recently, he said, the provincial government had provided jobs to 5,000 candidates on the basis of merit through the National Testing Service. The recruits include 700 lecturers, 1,200 school teachers and 30 engineers.
He announced that laptops would be provided to more than 300 Baloch students studying in the Punjab University (PU).
Dr Baloch thanked PU Vice Chancellor Dr Mujahid Kamran for providing free of cost education, accommodation and scholarships to students from Balochistan.
The Federal Minister for Planning and Development, Prof Ahsan Iqbal, said development of the country depended on stability and peace in Balochistan.
The Federal Minister for Railways, Khawaja Saad Rafique, said (in the past) Balochistan had never been given the attention it deserved.
Provincial Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said today’s Balochistan was far better than what it was in 2013. “No military operation is being conducted in any part of the province and all political leaders are free to hold public gatherings.”
Balochistan National Party leader Ghulam Nabi Mari said intervention in the political process must be stopped forever to ensure that the province became prosperous. He said the situation in Balochistan must be honestly analysed to resolve its issues.
A former caretaker chief minister of Balochistan, Nawab Ghous Bakhsh Barozai, former federal minister S.M. Zafar and National Party leader Tahir Bizenjo also spoke on the occasion.
Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2015
