Balochistan cauldron

A Business Recorder exclusive notes that only 11 out of a total of 39 clauses of the Aghaz-e-Huqooq-e-Balochistan Package (AHBP) - a package that was specifically designed to heal the festering wounds of the Baloch people - have been implemented so far and that too partially. Nasir Ali Shah, a long time PPP loyalist who has never hesitated from telling it like it is, categorically stated that the government failed to implement the economic aspects of the package. He highlighted the government's failure to connect Gwadar port with other parts of the country leave alone develop the port as promised, or to comply with its commitment to provide jobs to 5,000 Baloch youth in federal institutions. Funding committed for special incentives to the Bugti and different tribes from Kohlu have not been released and while some teachers were hired under the package yet in spite of the passage of two years they have not been regularised. Shah acknowledged that some 4,000 jobs were provided but only to those from the Marri tribe from Kohlu, a factor that smacks of political favouritism. The politically challenging aspects of the package have also not been complied with including constituting a commission that would investigate the death of Nawab Akbar Bugti leave alone actually initiating the probe itself. Targeted killings have not abated and though the numbers of the disappeared has declined mainly due to what is regarded as Supreme Court intervention yet few are under the misapprehension that the policy itself has changed in the relevant circles. There is no doubt about the fact that the PPP-led government's start in terms of healing the wounds of the Baloch people was propitious with the Chairman of the party Asif Ali Zardari, who had not then been elected as the country's President, publicly apologising to the Baloch people for atrocities committed against them. This was followed by the announcement of the AHBP in 2009, however, thence began a series of government decisions that not only allowed the status quo to continue but also further alienated its exiled leadership with no government functionary opting to meet exiled leader Sardar Akhtar Mengal who came to the country for four days to make a statement before the Supreme Court. Fortunately, Sardar Mengal did meet with several leaders of the Opposition including Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan leaving one with the hope that the process of dialogue with the disgruntled Baloch leadership is not dead. While resources remain an issue and there is little doubt that the treasury remains strapped for cash with analysts arguing that the fiscal deficit would be double what was budgeted (ie 7.5 percent instead of the budgeted 4.2 percent) yet the Ministry of Finance has been disbursing development funds to the PPP and coalition partners' parliamentarians for political gains in the forthcoming elections; yet unfortunately Balochistan remains a non-priority. In addition, recent events have led to the realisation that the Baloch people are living under conditions that are reminiscent of the Wild West with the elected leaders and police officials engaged in illegal activities including kidnapping for ransom. The decision by the federal government to sack the provincial government was not voluntary as one would have hoped but instead in response to the peaceful protest on Alamdar Road in Quetta for four days in sub-zero temperatures by the Hazara community, a protest that echoed in other major cities of the country including Karachi. The protesters refused to bury their dead in the aftermath of another targeted genocide till Governor's rule was imposed. The Prime Minister finally accepted all the demands though the law and order situation remains tense and the army has not yet been called. In short, it is imperative that implementation of AHBP begins in letter and spirit if the country is to succeed in forestalling further alienation of the common man in Balochistan.