FAKHAR Zaman wears many hats. He is an intellectual, a writer and former Punjab president of the PPP. According to him, complaints against Punjab by the other three provinces of Pakistan are partially justified. He accepts that Punjab has played the role of an exploiter in Pakistani politics. However, the people of the province are not responsible for it. Corrupt civil and military officials, bureaucracy, feudal lords, capitalists and intellectuals from the middle class are chiefly responsible for what the people of Balochistan are feeling deprived about.
But, Mr Zaman says, Punjab has always been referred to as the elder brother, which means that it should sacrifice some of its rights to other provinces.
In fact, he believes, the present situation in Balochistan has emerged because of the excesses and mistakes committed by the military establishment in cahoots with civil bureaucracy. The trouble started with the inclusion of Balochistan in Pakistan and the annexation of Kalat. The autocratic governance of Ayub Khan, Sikander Mirza, Tikka Khan and Ziaul Haq added to the problems of the province, multiplying grievances of the Balochi people.
The cauldron of dissent which has been simmering for over five decades is on the verge of blowing up and only wise handling of the Balochistan issue can bring peace to the region.
In this regard, there are some issues which merit immediate attention of the government.
Balochi nationalists feel that the resources of their province are being squandered, and in some other matters too Balochistan doesn’t get its due share of revenue.
This contention is partially correct, because the province is a unit of the federation, and in such a case revenues have to be ceded to the Centre. However, there is a need to satisfy all federating units. The NWFP is asking for the entire electricity revenue and Punjab is demanding Khewra salt revenues.
The issue of Balochistan has to be resolved to the satisfaction of the Balochi people. This can be made possible only through a dialogue, based on a give-and-take policy.
The thing that mars the relationship between the Centre and the province is the fact that both doubt each other’s intentions. Similarly, the issue of autonomy can be tackled by making necessary amendments to the 1973 Constitution, giving more autonomy to the provinces and revising the federal and concurrent lists.
Baloch nationalists are disturbed about the construction of Gwadar port and feel that if the project is materialized the Balochis will be reduced to a minority in their own province. They believe the nexus between Karachi-based businessmen and the Punjabis will devour their resources and colonize their vast land, which is rich in mineral resources.
They may have a case here. But the point is: why accuse Punjab only? Aren’t there tycoons in Dubai, Oman, Sindh and the NWFP who will also try to colonize Balochi soil? Balochi nationalists have the tendency to put the main issue on the backburner and keep grumbling about non-issues.
Balochi nationalists are justified in their demand that they should be given more share in decision-making at the central level. They are right when they say many decisions vital to their province are taken by the Centre. It is indisputable that all provinces should have more share in the decision-making process.
Balochi leaders are also sceptical about the establishment of a garrison in Khuzdar and Gwadar. The resentment expressed by nationalist leaders doesn’t hold water. Once Gwadar starts operating, security umbrella will have to be provided. One wishes Baloch political stalwarts let poor Balochis live honourably, build schools and roads, free them from personal prisons and do away with the dehumanizing sardar-jirga system that nurtures them.
The situation will improve once the Sardari system is gone and privileges and perks given to the Sardars are taken away.
There is a need for a referendum to elicit the opinion of the poor people whether they want to live under the repressive Sardari system or get rid of it. Baloch Sardars do not voice aspirations of the Balochi people. They exploit them to serve their self-interest.
It would be wise if the government held an all-party conference on the Balochistan issue as well as on other issues being incessantly brought up by nationalists of other provinces, and discussed them with an open mind. Intellectuals, writers, journalists and other discerning minds should also be involved to find a way that could be acceptable to everyone. And the establishment would have to shun its arrogance. It appears to be the only solution to the issues threatening the federation.
Discussing the subject, Shafqat Tanvir Mirza, another intellectual and writer from Punjab, says criticism of Punjab is justified to some extent; but some other factors must also be taken into consideration.
There are a number of reasons for the sense of deprivation that is eating away Balochistan. The tribal system, the lack of interest of tribal leaders in the development of their respective areas, and a non-existent role of the Balochi language are some of them.
Immediately after partition of the subcontinent, English and Urdu became two major languages of power-wielders in Pakistan, as a result of which Balochi and other languages were pushed aside. This made the Balochi people think that perhaps their language was not considered an important one in the country.
Tribal chiefs also played their role in accentuating the sense of deprivation in the province. They served the Raj and in turn got the power to use against their own people. They prepared their policies in a manner that education and development could not reach the common man. Tribal chiefs knew that educated people and the development process would pose a serious threat to the system they followed. They also set up their private prisons.
The Pakistan government did little to make the grip of the Sardars on the system less strong. In fact, the concessions that they bestowed on them strengthened their hold. Consequently, development could not take place in the region.
There is poor governance in Balochistan and this problem is also associated with Punjab, because it’s the province of the majority. The people of Balochistan are not getting jobs even in their own areas, for they don’t meet the required educational qualifications. And when the people from other provinces are employed, it’s natural for the people of Balochistan to feel aggrieved.
The poor situation in Balochistan may also have something to do with the designs of world powers. The countries that want to play some role in the central Asian republics or Afghanistan will have to target Balochistan first if they’re to achieve their goal.
The situation will not normalize unless tribal chiefs and the establishment change their attitude. The people of Balochistan should be given their due share in power before it’s too late.
