The parliamentary committee on Balochistan set up by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has presented its recommendations for improving the political, economic and security situation in the province. A major issue is, however, implementation of these proposals in letter and sprit to resolve the crisis.

Critics say that the present government wasted time and resources by constituting a new committee on Balochistan, as the recommendations of the parliamentary committee set up under the caretaker premier Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain could have been implemented for defusing the prevailing political tensions.

The committee had prepared a total of 31 recommendations which included payment of gas and petroleum royalty to the areas from where these were extracted and for giving the people of the province representation in the boards of directors of the Oil and Gas Development Company and the Sui Southern Gas Company. It had also proposed constitutional changes for giving greater provincial autonomy to Balochistan. If the locals are given sufficient stakes in oil revenues, they could provide security to oil companies engaged in petroleum exploration and drilling.

Instead of implementing the committee’s recommendations, the former government launched a military operation in December 2005 to subdue an insurgency-like situation. It was the failure on the political front. The Musharraf administration launched mega projects aimed mainly at opening the strategically located province to foreign investments and exploiting its vast natural resources. However the fruits of development were not shared equitably with the locals. Musharraf’s roadmap lacked the comprehensive strategy to develop human resources and bring political reconciliation in the province.

The PPP-led federal government has yet to work out its strategy to tackle problems faced by the local people deprived of their autonomy and resources and unable to benefit from federal-sponsored development programmes. Its roadmap for political reconciliation to end insurgency is also not known.

It is not yet decided whether to call an all party conference, jirga of tribal sardars or consult the provincial assembly on the issue. The toughest task is to get nationalists on board without ending the military operations.

The main grievances of Balochis include the denial of provincial autonomy as guaranteed by the Constitution, issues related to royalty on gas and other minerals, distribution of resource on population basis under the National Finance Commission Award. Generation of resources, industrialisation and diversification of provincial economy are the major economic challenges confronting the province.

Nationalists complain that Balochistan is being treated as an administrative unit rather than a sub-federation. Presently, the province suffers from low incomes and rampant poverty. According to one estimate, over 50 per cent of its population subsists below poverty line and 89 per cent of rural Balochistan is in high deprivation areas. According to a study by the Social Policy and Development Centre (SPDC), Balochistan’s per capita income shows an insignificant growth of 0.2 per cent per annum during the 28 years’ period from 1972-73 to 1999-2000. The province appears to be trapped in under-development and high level poverty.

Another key challenge for the government is the development of human resources in the province. The locals cannot benefit from development if there is lack of human skills to tap their natural endowment. The development of human resources will raise labour efficiency and can revolutionise the social attitudes.

Nationalist parties have been calling the transfer of management of Gwadar port to the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) as an infringement of rights of the Baloch people. They want the port to be run by the province.

Political stability is the key to improve law and order and put the province on the path of fast-track development. No development strategy for the province will work without taking dissidents on board. The local people should be made the stakeholders in the development of the province, as only they can guarantee the protection of any development scheme for the province.