Peoples Perspective on the Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan Package;
18th Amendment Implications, Implementation, Way Forward Conference
June 11th & 12th 2010, National Library Hall, Islamabad

Peace and inclusion of all peoples’ in governance are the prerequisites for a prosperous and a developing state. Pakistan is a multi nation state and this fact has to be recognized, thus recognizing the different stages of political, socio-economic and cultural realities of each nationality. Once this parameter is established only then can fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution be applied equally to all nationalities. Pakistan’s history is replete with exclusions of one nationality or the other. The East Pakistan debacle of 1970/71 is a lesson we should have taken to heart but we have not. The crisis of Balochistan began immediately after the vivisection of the country in 1971.

Today, once again, the situation in Balochistan is extremely precarious where nearly every day citizens, students or the only bread earner of a Baloch family disappears; mutilated bodies are found dumped in desolate places. The Baloch allege colleges and other public buildings have been converted into detention and torture houses, they also allege establishment’s promotion of ethnic and sectarian violence as the norm in Balochistan. The security and intelligence agencies are alleged to be complicit if not directly involved in target killings. The police claim that even if they arrest the perpetrators of target killings senior officers of the security establishment get them forcibly released within hours; to the extent that on refusal the police personnel are beaten up. The Baloch allege near death torture victims being thrown out of high flying helicopters as in the 70’s. Fear and desolation has permeated into every section of Baloch society. Extra judicial murders, disappearances are driving Baloch households into abject poverty.  

The Balochistan High Court reportedly has hundreds of pending petitions by families of the dead and disappeared but seems helpless in enforcing the rule of law or providing justice to the oppressed and suppressed Baloch masses. Balochistan has a long history of extra judicial murders; high profile examples are; Sardar Asad-ullah Mengal, Ahmed Shah Kurd in the 70’s, Nawab Akbar Bugti, Nawabzada Balach Marri, Ghulam Mohammad, Lala Munir,  Sher Mohammad to quote just a few from 2005 to 2010 period.   

The Chief Minister of Balochistan and the federation’s representative, the Governor, have publically stated that the Frontier Corp has established a parallel government and is not listening to, nor obeying orders of the civilian government. The provincial government seems to be a government only on paper and as ineffectual in governance as all other governments, maybe worse. 

Therefore the question arises, who governs, or rather who rules Balochistan? Do the democratically elected Federal and Provincial governments govern or some other institution rules in Balochistan? Is it a conquered region or a part and parcel of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan with enforcement of fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution? Practically it is being ruled as a colony, natural resources exploited whose benefits are not available for the Baloch but are available for all other parts of the country. 

The extra judicial murder of Nawab Akbar Bugti in August 2006 lead to a wave of sympathy all over the country especially in the youth of Punjab. Rallies and demonstrations, seminars etc became quite vocal at this murder. It is alleged that in order to change this sympathy into hatred the establishment encouraged land mafia, sectarian groups to start a terror campaign against non-Baloch settlers. The Baloch allege that it is these groups that are involved in the target killings so as to grab the land and homes of settlers. They also claim that these groups then falsely claim responsibility in the name of Baloch resistance militant groups. They claim that it is this unjust colonial rule and terror tactics that has forced young people to take up arms and go to the mountains. It is pertinent to note that a majority of the tribes whose youngsters are resisting the autocratic, undemocratic colonial rule are from the same tribes whose leaders have been murdered.  

The exclusion of the Baloch people from any policy making, decision making and governance over the last 62 years points to a deliberate and conscious decision to keep the Baloch away from the corridors of power, economically poorest of the poor by the powers that be. 

The President apologized for the wrongs done to the people of Balochistan over the last 62 years. A package named “Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan” and recently the 18th Amendment was enacted by Parliament which devolved a semblance, not complete, provincial autonomy by abolishing the concurrent list from the Constitution and devolving 39 subjects to the provinces.  

What are the implications of these measures, how will they be implemented, and how can we move forward to ensure peace, social justice, socio-economic, political, cultural development of all the diverse nationalities that inhabit this country? What forces will resist these initial democratic steps towards a prosperous, democratic Pakistan? What are the ordinary Baloch citizen’s perceptions on these packages in respect of Balochistan? 

These are the issues this Conference will endeavor to address with a special emphasis on the young people’s perceptions about the prevalent situation while promoting democratic norms, human and Fundamental rights and governance in all provinces especially Balochistan which has borne the brunt of politically motivated military force for the last 63 years.