Balochistan's grievances
The Khan of Kalat's views on the Balochistan situation published yesterday deserve to be taken seriously. Ignoring the rather strong language Mir Suleman Dawood Khan used in an interview with Dawn, one should note that some of his observations are shared by many other Baloch leaders. These views centre on the gradual erosion of provincial autonomy as defined in the Constitution, the economic backwardness of Balochistan, and the lack of job opportunities for the Baloch.
There is no doubt that there is a lot of truth in these grievances. Their province constitutes 43 per cent of Pakistan, but the money spent on its development is far below what it is entitled to as a major constituent of the federation. The province is rich in mineral resources, and the 600-mile coastline with its fish wealth should be a source of prosperity for its people. But the Baloch people complain that they do not benefit from the exploitation of the province's natural resources, especially gas.
A new issue which has begun to agitate the Baloch mind is Gwadar. The government obviously has ambitious plans for developing Gwadar, and there is no reason why any sane person should oppose the construction of a new harbour there. However, the Baloch leaders complain that the manpower for the project, which is being run by the federal government, is drawn largely from outside the province. They take the same view of the Saindak copper project and the coastal highway.
Seen against the background of the crises that have in the past rocked Balochistan and led to armed insurgencies, the present situation deserves to be tackled with care and circumspection. The province deserves a better deal, but there is no magic formula for removing poverty and giving the Baloch people a share in its riches. Essentially, this entails sustained economic growth with the full involvement of the local people.
The projects now under way must be pursued with full speed, but they must ensure that employment does not go to the non-Baloch alone. The situation has been worsened by the influx of Afghan refugees, thus affecting the demographic character of Balochistan's capital, Quetta.
It is reassuring to know that the federal government is keen to remove Balochistan's sense of deprivation through a dialogue. Here one must welcome the talks the parliamentary subcommittee is having with different Baloch leaders. On Sunday, Senator Mushahid Hussain, the committee's chairman, disclosed to newsmen that his meeting with Mr Akbar Bugti was positive.
He also has had meetings with other Baloch leaders, including Mr Abdul Rahim Mandokhel, Dr Abdul Hye Baloch and an MMA delegation headed by Maulana Abdul Wasey. Basically, it is through a dialogue with the Baloch leadership that the sense of frustration among the Baloch can be removed and the provincial economy given a turnaround.
The result of the policies so far followed are before us. There is widespread lawlessness in the province, and unscrupulous elements have not missed an opportunity to disrupt work on development projects there. There have been acts of sabotage against gas pipelines, power transmission towers are often targeted, and there have been bomb blasts in Gwadar, besides the killing of three Chinese engineers. Those responsible for such acts are no friends of the Baloch people. But the federal government should try to remove the underlying causes that give rise to desperation.
Emergency upon emergency
The Allawi administration's declaration of a state of emergency in Iraq seems like a morbid non sequitur. Has there been anything less than an emergency in occupied Iraq since the US-led invasion? The logic was to consider ways to initiate a political process in the country. This is also what everyone had wished would follow Mr George Bush's re-election. Instead, there's only the promise of more bloodshed. Fallujah is to be cleansed of resistance fighters.
The commander of the US Marine Corps First Division told his troops waiting to launch their assault on Fallujah: "You will be making history..... Forty years from now, 100 years from now, they (people) will be talking about the battle of Fallujah." It is such talk that has led soldiers in their prime to death and killed innocent civilians. Fallujah's population is estimated at around 300,000. Many have fled, but many remain.
How many of them will be dead by the time the Marines have 'secured' the city? The civilian death figure for Iraq has already crossed the 100,000 mark. Fallujah will add to the number of civilians killed and injured. It was assaulted also in April, and hundreds were killed; yet it remains restive.
The boastful Marine general must have taken leave of his senses. A month ago, Samarra was captured and 'freed': violence has broken out there again. Mr Allawi says he wants the country cleared of all resistance by the time of the elections proposed for January. As in Samarra, a curfew has also been imposed in Fallujah. This may keep civilians indoors, but their houses and hospitals will still be susceptible to air attacks by the occupying forces. There will be soldiers kicking doors open and rounding up 'suspects'.
The rebels will melt away and strike again. It is impossible to believe that the Americans continue to harbour the notion that the situation in Iraq can be controlled before the election on the strength of sheer force and terror. The US must return to the international community and seek its help in ending the tragedy of Iraq.
Crumbling state of Iqbal Manzil
As we celebrate Iqbal Day today, it is worth noting that Iqbal Manzil, the poet's birthplace in Sialkot, lies in a state of utter disrepair. A report in this newspaper yesterday detailed the vagaries of official neglect that have come to bear on this protected national monument - thanks to the apathy of the Punjab archaeology department, the official custodian of the building. The 145-year-old house is in such a bad state that its upper storey has been closed to visitors, with the authorities fearing its collapse.
The few exhibits in the form of books and articles of Allama Iqbal's personal use and housed in the building are stated to be in no better condition. This is despite repeated promises by the Sialkot tehsil municipal administration and the Punjab government, both of which have expressed the desire to see Iqbal Manzil restored to the status of a proper museum, but have failed to do anything about it in practical terms.
One fails to see how the Punjab archaeology department, which is almost bankrupt, will do justice by Iqbal Manzil. According to reports, the department has no funds to even pay the salaries of the staff deputed at the high-profile Lahore Fort and the Shalimar Gardens - both listed by Unesco as world heritage monuments. Back in Sialkot, it also is a measure of apathy on the part of the city's affluent industrial sector that Iqbal Manzil has fallen into its present dire straits.
Elsewhere in the world, a building with similar historical significance would have been the pride of the host city and much better looked after. That said, the proper upkeep of a national monument like Iqbal Manzil remains primarily the responsibility of the government. The Punjab government would do well to shoulder this responsibility with the attention and care that it deserves.