ISLAMABAD, June 30: Bemoaning slow pace of implementing the rights package for Balochistan, speakers at a policy dialogue on Thursday blamed the federal and provincial governments for not doing enough to improve social conditions in the province.

The dialogue on “Aghaz-e-Huqooq-e-Balochistan Package: Status and Way Forward” was organised by ActionAid Pakistan and the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS)

The speakers demanded a change in mindset in Islamabad to resolve the problems of Balochistan, and some even went to the extent of asking policymakers to consider the province as “part of the country”.

Ayatullah Durrani, a former state minister of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Senator Haji Adeel, parliamentary leader of Awami National Party (ANP), maintained that the implementation of 39-point Balochistan package was very slow. However, they also urged the critics to look at the “half full glass”.

They pointed out that the tripling of federal financial resources for Balochistan for the fiscal year 2011-12 would not have been possible without the package.

Mr Durrani also blamed the Baloch Sardars and tribal chiefs responsible for injustices. “Why not a single educational institution has been constructed by Jogezais, Jamalis, Achakzais, Bugtis and Raisanis,” he asked.

Majority of the speakers acknowledged that the vague implementation mechanism and lack of true representation in the provincial assembly was also a main cause hindering the package and making it “ineffective”.

Dr Ishaq Baloch, central vice president National Party, said the people of Balochistan have been given constitutional guarantees to protect their rights under the 18th amendment but added that laws remain unimplemented.

He said the Balochistan problem could not be resolved until the federal government accepts and respects ethnic diversity in the country and gives them right over their resources. He said the federation could only be saved if the federating units are “truly recognised”.

Wazir Ahmed Jogazai, a former deputy speaker of National Assembly, said the Balochistan Assembly “lacks true representation due to political polarisation in the province”.

He called for establishing an independent Election Commission to hold free and fair elections to “replace the current provincial government which lacks integrity and legitimacy”.

Raza Narejo, an expert on Balochistan affairs, pointed out lack of “implementation mechanism” for the package.

Meanwhile Aziz Jamali, a government official, admitted the slow pace of implementing the package. But he added that the government had managed to provide more than 5,000 jobs to the unemployed from Balochistan.