Baloch reconciliation:
Posted by Admin on Dec 11th, 2009 and filed under Showcase, Today in News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can
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rejectPrime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani extended an olive branch to Baloch nationalists, including their exiled leadership, from the floor of parliament while
discussing the government’s Balochistan package. The prime minister referred to the government’s intention to release all political prisoners except those
booked under serious crimes, place the Frontier Constabulary (FC) under the chief minister, and withdraw cases against 89 Baloch political workers.
The number of missing people was 992, of whom 262 had already returned home, the prime minister asserted. Among other steps, he announced that the
army was being withdrawn from Kohlu and Sui, to be replaced by the FC, the role of the intelligence agencies in Balochistan would be reviewed, and the Rs
120 billion due to the province on account of royalty and gas development surcharge from 1954 to 1991 would be paid over the next 12 years at Rs 10 billion
a year. He also announced launching of a probe into the killings of Nawab Akbar Bugti, Balaach Marri, Ghulam Mohammad, Lala Munir and Munir Ahmed.
Following on from the prime minister’s directives, the Balochistan provincial government announced that it was withdrawing 89 cases against various
nationalist leaders, including Brahmdagh Bugti, Akhtar Mengal and Jamil Bugti. However, the portents for the acceptability of the measure do not look good
after various Baloch nationalist leaders rejected the initiative, calling it cosmetic and a repeat of an earlier announcement to similar effect by Chief Minister
Aslam Raisani, which was never implemented.
Sceptics and critics of the government’s approach feel that the efforts at political reconciliation with the estranged ‘elders’ and self-exiled leaders of the
armed resistance should have preceded and even paved the way for the measures to be announced as a package. The government failed to follow this
route, and announced the package after consulting only some Baloch leaders, who were in any case well disposed or even allied to the government.
The package therefore has come in for a lot of flak amongst nationalist circles in the province since in their view, it smacks of ‘charity’, rather than the
inherent political and economic rights that are their due. Reconciliation minus the real leadership of Balochistan will remain a precarious enterprise.
Releasing prisoners selectively and holding on to those purportedly charged with serious crimes will render the measure ineffective, since most of the
crucial prisoners are so charged, rightly or wrongly.
A comprehensive accounting for missing persons is the only way the review of the role of the intelligence agencies will make any sense, since it is these
agencies that are the authors of the missing persons regime. If the first 37 years of royalty are to be paid over the next 12 years, what about the royalty from
1991 to now? Will that take another 12 years after the present amount? By that time, will not more years’ royalty have been added? How will the government
ever catch up in this manner?
This will not satisfy anyone, let alone those nationalists who argue that the Centre has treated Balochistan like a colony since the creation of Pakistan, and
its palliatives will only end up sprinkling more salt into Balochistan’s festering wounds. The government must stop contradictory stances like accusations of
Indian involvement in Balochistan while seeking reconciliation. Otherwise it will be seen as insincere and manipulative. Balochistan is tinder waiting to burst
into flame. Water, not oil, is required to douse the fire.
courtesy : Daily Times
Posted by Admin on Dec 11th, 2009 and filed under Showcase, Today in News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can
leave a response or trackback to this entry
rejectPrime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani extended an olive branch to Baloch nationalists, including their exiled leadership, from the floor of parliament while
discussing the government’s Balochistan package. The prime minister referred to the government’s intention to release all political prisoners except those
booked under serious crimes, place the Frontier Constabulary (FC) under the chief minister, and withdraw cases against 89 Baloch political workers.
The number of missing people was 992, of whom 262 had already returned home, the prime minister asserted. Among other steps, he announced that the
army was being withdrawn from Kohlu and Sui, to be replaced by the FC, the role of the intelligence agencies in Balochistan would be reviewed, and the Rs
120 billion due to the province on account of royalty and gas development surcharge from 1954 to 1991 would be paid over the next 12 years at Rs 10 billion
a year. He also announced launching of a probe into the killings of Nawab Akbar Bugti, Balaach Marri, Ghulam Mohammad, Lala Munir and Munir Ahmed.
Following on from the prime minister’s directives, the Balochistan provincial government announced that it was withdrawing 89 cases against various
nationalist leaders, including Brahmdagh Bugti, Akhtar Mengal and Jamil Bugti. However, the portents for the acceptability of the measure do not look good
after various Baloch nationalist leaders rejected the initiative, calling it cosmetic and a repeat of an earlier announcement to similar effect by Chief Minister
Aslam Raisani, which was never implemented.
Sceptics and critics of the government’s approach feel that the efforts at political reconciliation with the estranged ‘elders’ and self-exiled leaders of the
armed resistance should have preceded and even paved the way for the measures to be announced as a package. The government failed to follow this
route, and announced the package after consulting only some Baloch leaders, who were in any case well disposed or even allied to the government.
The package therefore has come in for a lot of flak amongst nationalist circles in the province since in their view, it smacks of ‘charity’, rather than the
inherent political and economic rights that are their due. Reconciliation minus the real leadership of Balochistan will remain a precarious enterprise.
Releasing prisoners selectively and holding on to those purportedly charged with serious crimes will render the measure ineffective, since most of the
crucial prisoners are so charged, rightly or wrongly.
A comprehensive accounting for missing persons is the only way the review of the role of the intelligence agencies will make any sense, since it is these
agencies that are the authors of the missing persons regime. If the first 37 years of royalty are to be paid over the next 12 years, what about the royalty from
1991 to now? Will that take another 12 years after the present amount? By that time, will not more years’ royalty have been added? How will the government
ever catch up in this manner?
This will not satisfy anyone, let alone those nationalists who argue that the Centre has treated Balochistan like a colony since the creation of Pakistan, and
its palliatives will only end up sprinkling more salt into Balochistan’s festering wounds. The government must stop contradictory stances like accusations of
Indian involvement in Balochistan while seeking reconciliation. Otherwise it will be seen as insincere and manipulative. Balochistan is tinder waiting to burst
into flame. Water, not oil, is required to douse the fire.
courtesy : Daily Times
Balochistan package cosmetic arrangement of
issues: PML-N
Posted by Admin on Dec 11th, 2009 and filed under BALOCHISTAN. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a
response or trackback to this entry
PAKISTAN_-_Nawaz_SharifBy Rana Kashif
LAHORE: Announcements made under the Balochistan package are just a cosmetic arrangement of abstract resolves to the issues of the defocused
province, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif said on Thursday.
He said the package announced by the government was insufficient and the government would have to go a long way to resolve the problems of the
Baloch, as the task required serious efforts.
Separately, PML-N sources told Daily Times that the party leadership was not happy over the package announced during the joint session of parliament
on Wednesday.
They said the leadership believed that the situation would lead to devastating circumstances in case the government did not make efforts in an earnest
manner.
To a question, Asif said although the suggestions forwarded by the PML-N had been kept in view while planning the Balochistan package, it would take
more than just an announcement to address the grievances of the Baloch.
The government announced to form a commission on Nawab Akbar Bugti’s killing, but a commission was also made regarding Liaqat Ali Khan’s
murder, he said, adding that the government was not willing to take stern action against former president Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf. “What is the use of a
package on which the Balochistan chief minister and Baloch parliamentarians have shown dissatisfaction?” he said.
The PML-N leader said the Gwadar Port, gas and various other projects of Balochistan needed to be settled in an earnest manner to provide relief to the
Baloch.
Concerning the withdrawal of forces from Balochistan, he said the force had been sent there four times. “Earlier, the people of Balochistan were incited
to raise arms, and now so-called efforts are being made to pacify them,” he said.
http://thebalochhal.com
issues: PML-N
Posted by Admin on Dec 11th, 2009 and filed under BALOCHISTAN. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a
response or trackback to this entry
PAKISTAN_-_Nawaz_SharifBy Rana Kashif
LAHORE: Announcements made under the Balochistan package are just a cosmetic arrangement of abstract resolves to the issues of the defocused
province, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif said on Thursday.
He said the package announced by the government was insufficient and the government would have to go a long way to resolve the problems of the
Baloch, as the task required serious efforts.
Separately, PML-N sources told Daily Times that the party leadership was not happy over the package announced during the joint session of parliament
on Wednesday.
They said the leadership believed that the situation would lead to devastating circumstances in case the government did not make efforts in an earnest
manner.
To a question, Asif said although the suggestions forwarded by the PML-N had been kept in view while planning the Balochistan package, it would take
more than just an announcement to address the grievances of the Baloch.
The government announced to form a commission on Nawab Akbar Bugti’s killing, but a commission was also made regarding Liaqat Ali Khan’s
murder, he said, adding that the government was not willing to take stern action against former president Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf. “What is the use of a
package on which the Balochistan chief minister and Baloch parliamentarians have shown dissatisfaction?” he said.
The PML-N leader said the Gwadar Port, gas and various other projects of Balochistan needed to be settled in an earnest manner to provide relief to the
Baloch.
Concerning the withdrawal of forces from Balochistan, he said the force had been sent there four times. “Earlier, the people of Balochistan were incited
to raise arms, and now so-called efforts are being made to pacify them,” he said.
http://thebalochhal.com
