again its Eid times, times to show Allah how much we love him and how good muslims we are!
and that we show by sacrificing millions of innocent animals in Pakistan only if we count Muslim population around the world and make a survey that how much animals are sacrificed at that one to three days of EID...we will come to know its exact count, only in Holy sites while Hajj isperformed its ritually right to sacrifice animals other wise Hajj is not complete...we will come to know that many trillions are spent on animal slaughter just one to three days and made God happy...this ritual is going on since Hazrat Ibrahim sacrificed his dear son in the name of ALLAH, but it was replaced by an other innocent animal...since than we do this ritual...but beauti of Islam is that it can change with times..today many high class and respected Ulema should sit and do Ijtehad so that inspite ogf killing animals same amoiunt should be collected and spent on Human development in Muslim countires and their health and education sectors or in the sectors where we lag behind but ritual at the Hajj should remain same and meat collected should be sent to poor Areas of muslim world and distributed among them who can not afford Meat eating......its thinking time and to save Earth we should save our animals and by that way Bio diversity of our planet.....
Friday, November 27, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
NRO INFECTION & SEPSIS!!!
Infected with NRO.
Since this government came into power they are in the line of fire.
8040 took relief 7794 are from sindh.
There are only 43 Politicians BUT more than 10 times beaurocrats !
Since this government came in to power , it has created more chaos for it self than any one else, their bad management tactics, poor handling of various sensitive issues and rampant corruption allegations again on one person and his coterie, has caused damage to its reputation. People gave votes to the party due to Z.A.Bhutto and Benazir’s Party but unfortunately untimely , questionable death of BB, changed the format and values of party, with party in the hands of Mr. Zardari ,he who was already a controversial figure in Pakistani politics got at the helm of affair and party revolves on the fingures of Asif zardari, what he did and way he acted on the death bed on BB , he got sympathies of people and he timely diffused firing temper in sindh.
At the soyem of BB , he told News men that his Prime Minister is Makhdoom Ameen Fahim ( second to BB in Party.) but in coming days and months he changed his statements more than he changed clothes and ultimately he nominated Jilani sb. but not after humiliating Makhdoom of Hala, in whole game badly.
Than came issue of Judges where he made promises to Nawaz Sharif to restore them as soon as they will take the government but than he changed his statement, He signed Bhurbhan accord and with in a few days he said the accord are not verses !!!
These things show his personal credibility and in a few months he turned from Hero to Villain in the eyes of his allies and very vocal acid media of Pakistan. He has forgotten that he came to Pakistan as a result of a deal between him and Shaheed BB.
Very loyal members of PPP. like Aitezaz Ehsan was given show cause notices by party Sec. Genera & humiliated very and often , on the directions of party chairman !!
He has deserted Nahid Khan and Senator Safdar Abbassi , very close couple to BB and not only them, any one near BB was shown outer door . opportunists & corrupt people were surrounding him.
Next move from him shocked many was his self decision to contest for office of President, no one sincere to PPP, will have supported him but many remained silent in central executive committee, his allies like Muslim league (N) also show displeasure.
He came to presidency only to save his skin from NRO related immunity which he will get in Presidency. President did not learned any lesson from past , he is still surrounded by people who are famous for their past and are on senior positions again, some people were freshly brought by President as his close allies and are openly asking for money and gratifications, some were no thing and just in two years they have turned billionaires.
In Capital stories of ruling party and their corruption are topic of street gossips.
All these things were not important if government has tried to solve water, power and other utilities crises , since they acted foolishly in judges cases which they had to restore after people’s pressure. That had damaged their reputation enormously , after that one after one, issues surfaced like Flour crises, sugar crises, Mauling of Petrol & diesel prices, and so many issues which gave pain and problem to a common men but in return government members earned billions of rupees.
An other bad impression of media and common men was induction of non political & no entities to many important posts in presidency and Government.
SOME close family members of President were acting as de facto President, same is with Prime Minister , but as president is hunted due to his person, friends and family and he was already under media micro scope so he got more backlash. One of his close friend Dr.Asim was holding post of Petroleum ministry , while he is no where political person, an other one is Political Advisor of President , no one knows him and was a Dr. at Landhi Jail ! His friend ship with President has lead him to this highly sensitive(lucrative) post and he has made safe future of his next ten generations. Mr. Asim was removed by Prime Minister after he made many Bags and lockers full but he was removed from just one post he is still holding many posts due to President’s friend ship.
Close Family members of President also did his name shining in just few months, even ministers and parliamentarians has to salute madam before entering in House of Lords.
An other issue which gave bad name to Zardari sahib was handling of Carry-Lugar bill which irked politicians and Military elite equally, media of Pakistan is furious against him due to past and present mistakes he has committed as I have already written two years back the BIGGEST reason of Zardari’s reputation is his being SINDHI also. In NRO only 30 + politicians were inducted out 8048, remaining are beaurocrats civil and few military, while in real one General is equal to 100 Zardaris. Only few PPP politicians are in NRO list while more than 7000 cases were of MQM.
Names issued showing one sided and myopic attitude of Media it self.
In this country 100s of Big Industrialists, politicians and landlords have taken 1000s of billions of loans from Banks and co-operatives but no one talks about them , every other scheme announced by builders is fake and they repeatedly and regularly ran away with billions but no one runs campaigns against them as did media against Zardari & PPP since his elevation to president’s Post.
Army franchise is legally earning billions each month, they get monopoly on businesses of choice, they get price less land by hook or crook but no one speaks about them in media !!!!
Military entrepreneurs is untouchable.
Mohatir Mohammed said I just controlled corruption at highest level because smaller level corruption doesn’t harm my or any other country!!
10 years of Musharaf had dented Pakistan’s economy badly but it continues after him !!
What ever alleged through NRO is past but what is hurting is not past and at highest level 50 to 80 croses for posting price is openly asked by confidentials, people take the names of highest officials!!
President’s company has purchased Land worth trillions in Islamabad and taken billion of rupees in Bank loans by the influence of office.
What their cronies are asking for lower order postings and transfers is also enormous by our standards.
One person I knew from last so many years in Islamabad , he used to smoke other’s cigarettes, he roams the city in Mercedes new model, have a posh mansion in a VIP Sector of Islamabad, one day I met him in front of a book store he told me “to bring a project and make some money I will give you special favor for old time’s sake!! Leave your morality behind Dr., do some thing for your kids!!” I just smiled and didn’t answer. seeing puzzled look on my face, he got wrong impression , so he ordered me “Project should be more than 20 Crores , we don’t entertain less than that “ still I was smiling on his offer but I asked “why?” , “because less than that will not warm our pockets”………. I has wondered and had a blank look on my face !!! One and half year back this man use to ask for cup of tea, few rupees and use to ask for one cigarette.
HUE & cry on NRO is due to past corruption but what about new and on going wave of plunder which is going on since last two years…!!
Since this government came into power they are in the line of fire.
8040 took relief 7794 are from sindh.
There are only 43 Politicians BUT more than 10 times beaurocrats !
Since this government came in to power , it has created more chaos for it self than any one else, their bad management tactics, poor handling of various sensitive issues and rampant corruption allegations again on one person and his coterie, has caused damage to its reputation. People gave votes to the party due to Z.A.Bhutto and Benazir’s Party but unfortunately untimely , questionable death of BB, changed the format and values of party, with party in the hands of Mr. Zardari ,he who was already a controversial figure in Pakistani politics got at the helm of affair and party revolves on the fingures of Asif zardari, what he did and way he acted on the death bed on BB , he got sympathies of people and he timely diffused firing temper in sindh.
At the soyem of BB , he told News men that his Prime Minister is Makhdoom Ameen Fahim ( second to BB in Party.) but in coming days and months he changed his statements more than he changed clothes and ultimately he nominated Jilani sb. but not after humiliating Makhdoom of Hala, in whole game badly.
Than came issue of Judges where he made promises to Nawaz Sharif to restore them as soon as they will take the government but than he changed his statement, He signed Bhurbhan accord and with in a few days he said the accord are not verses !!!
These things show his personal credibility and in a few months he turned from Hero to Villain in the eyes of his allies and very vocal acid media of Pakistan. He has forgotten that he came to Pakistan as a result of a deal between him and Shaheed BB.
Very loyal members of PPP. like Aitezaz Ehsan was given show cause notices by party Sec. Genera & humiliated very and often , on the directions of party chairman !!
He has deserted Nahid Khan and Senator Safdar Abbassi , very close couple to BB and not only them, any one near BB was shown outer door . opportunists & corrupt people were surrounding him.
Next move from him shocked many was his self decision to contest for office of President, no one sincere to PPP, will have supported him but many remained silent in central executive committee, his allies like Muslim league (N) also show displeasure.
He came to presidency only to save his skin from NRO related immunity which he will get in Presidency. President did not learned any lesson from past , he is still surrounded by people who are famous for their past and are on senior positions again, some people were freshly brought by President as his close allies and are openly asking for money and gratifications, some were no thing and just in two years they have turned billionaires.
In Capital stories of ruling party and their corruption are topic of street gossips.
All these things were not important if government has tried to solve water, power and other utilities crises , since they acted foolishly in judges cases which they had to restore after people’s pressure. That had damaged their reputation enormously , after that one after one, issues surfaced like Flour crises, sugar crises, Mauling of Petrol & diesel prices, and so many issues which gave pain and problem to a common men but in return government members earned billions of rupees.
An other bad impression of media and common men was induction of non political & no entities to many important posts in presidency and Government.
SOME close family members of President were acting as de facto President, same is with Prime Minister , but as president is hunted due to his person, friends and family and he was already under media micro scope so he got more backlash. One of his close friend Dr.Asim was holding post of Petroleum ministry , while he is no where political person, an other one is Political Advisor of President , no one knows him and was a Dr. at Landhi Jail ! His friend ship with President has lead him to this highly sensitive(lucrative) post and he has made safe future of his next ten generations. Mr. Asim was removed by Prime Minister after he made many Bags and lockers full but he was removed from just one post he is still holding many posts due to President’s friend ship.
Close Family members of President also did his name shining in just few months, even ministers and parliamentarians has to salute madam before entering in House of Lords.
An other issue which gave bad name to Zardari sahib was handling of Carry-Lugar bill which irked politicians and Military elite equally, media of Pakistan is furious against him due to past and present mistakes he has committed as I have already written two years back the BIGGEST reason of Zardari’s reputation is his being SINDHI also. In NRO only 30 + politicians were inducted out 8048, remaining are beaurocrats civil and few military, while in real one General is equal to 100 Zardaris. Only few PPP politicians are in NRO list while more than 7000 cases were of MQM.
Names issued showing one sided and myopic attitude of Media it self.
In this country 100s of Big Industrialists, politicians and landlords have taken 1000s of billions of loans from Banks and co-operatives but no one talks about them , every other scheme announced by builders is fake and they repeatedly and regularly ran away with billions but no one runs campaigns against them as did media against Zardari & PPP since his elevation to president’s Post.
Army franchise is legally earning billions each month, they get monopoly on businesses of choice, they get price less land by hook or crook but no one speaks about them in media !!!!
Military entrepreneurs is untouchable.
Mohatir Mohammed said I just controlled corruption at highest level because smaller level corruption doesn’t harm my or any other country!!
10 years of Musharaf had dented Pakistan’s economy badly but it continues after him !!
What ever alleged through NRO is past but what is hurting is not past and at highest level 50 to 80 croses for posting price is openly asked by confidentials, people take the names of highest officials!!
President’s company has purchased Land worth trillions in Islamabad and taken billion of rupees in Bank loans by the influence of office.
What their cronies are asking for lower order postings and transfers is also enormous by our standards.
One person I knew from last so many years in Islamabad , he used to smoke other’s cigarettes, he roams the city in Mercedes new model, have a posh mansion in a VIP Sector of Islamabad, one day I met him in front of a book store he told me “to bring a project and make some money I will give you special favor for old time’s sake!! Leave your morality behind Dr., do some thing for your kids!!” I just smiled and didn’t answer. seeing puzzled look on my face, he got wrong impression , so he ordered me “Project should be more than 20 Crores , we don’t entertain less than that “ still I was smiling on his offer but I asked “why?” , “because less than that will not warm our pockets”………. I has wondered and had a blank look on my face !!! One and half year back this man use to ask for cup of tea, few rupees and use to ask for one cigarette.
HUE & cry on NRO is due to past corruption but what about new and on going wave of plunder which is going on since last two years…!!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Baluchistan Post
Balochistan on the edge of Volcano
Baluchistan.
On the edge of volcano!!!
It was a nice autumn morning of Quetta, when Aslam Mirza woke up as usual in his sprawling mansion where he lives now a days with his partner for life khadija & one maid servant, he has been living in this city since he was five and came to than a serene town in late sixties with his father and family, he did his schooling here ,his family is settled all over Pakistan, a sister in karachi and one in Lahore, younger son studying in a university in Islamabad and elder in UK for his MBA.
That morning he completed his usual chores ,took break fast,saw headings in local paper and left his home to settle some issues at his Poultary farms behind Airport,his driver came to pick him up and he left his home at 10 Am, his usual time for business, He and his family has friends all over Pakistan in almost all nook & corners ,Baluchistan was his adopted province so he has friends in hardline baluchis to establishment of Pakistan.
Just half an hour after he left his home a terrible news reached his home, He was gunned down along with his driver ,both died on the spot .
Ongoing crises in Baluchistan has played havoc with the lives of people living in Baluchistan since3 the last four Year, it augmented with the death of Nawab Akbar Bugti, problem goes on & on, the history of Baluchistan issue started the day this nation was born.
Pakistan establishment was never comfortable with Baluchis, Baluch chieftains accepted Quad-E-Azam’s invitation to join Pakistan voluntarily provided there Tribal status is respected & not disturbed, baluchistan was divided in to Pashtunes, Baluchis which included Makrani Baluchis and at that time Part of Baluchistan was ruled by Sultanate of Oman i-e areas of Gawadar & Pasni.
Later on Ayub Khan paid sum to release Gawadar and Pasni from Oman but they still have huge influence in these areas.
First insurgency was in 1948 which was done by than Khan of Qalat Mir Ahmed Yar khan which was brutally controlled by Ayub Khan than COAS.
Baluchistan comprises about 44% of land area of Pakistan with 770 Kms, long coastal line but according to Population census of 1998 it makes only 5%of total population of country(6.5Million) with 2/3rd living in rural areas.
Ethnic make up of Baluchistan includes 54.7% Baluch , 29% Pashtune tribes and 7% settlers, Baluch Pashtunes imbalance created by 2 million refugees from Afghanistan has almost destroyed the fabric of Baluchistan and now leaders of Pakhtun khwa Mili awami party demands separate Pashtunes Province in Baluchistan that has caused rift among Baluch and Pashtunes because these refugees posses properties and ID cards and naturally has occupied the rights of Natives & a cause of demographic imbalance.
When Mir Ahmed Yar khan declared State of Qalat as independent in 1948 & refused to merge with Pakistan. Army Garrison in Balochistan was ordered to annex the state and arrest the Khan. Prince Karim his brother started first Armed insurgency in 1948, He was also arrested and imprisoned, in 1958, the army arrested Nauroz Khan triggering guerrilla movement.
Baluchis by nature are free people, they have resisted every move which tried to encroach upon their right and land, by 1963, Pakistan army decided to built new Garrisons in Balochistan as they have successfully caged Sindh, but Baluchis strongly resisted their moves, The Guerrillas led by Sher Mohammed khan Marri established Guerrilla camp over 45000 sq Kms. those guerrillas ambushed convoys and bombed trains, The insurgency came to an end in 1969 when Yahya Khan with drew the one unit scheme.
The Jamiat ulema-i-Islam and National Awami Party in 1972 demanded more rights for ethnic Baluchis in Government, because as a result of 1971 election NAP & JUI made governments in Balochistan which were dismissed by Champion of democracy Z.A.Bhutto and imposed Governor’s rule over Balochistan that move again triggered a wide spread resistance & hue & cry in nationalist factions of Balochistan. This was third insurgency by Balochis against Pakistani establishment it led to killing of more than 5000 Balochis and 3300 soldiers.
The 4th Insurgency continues till to date, it was started when Leader of Jamhoori watan Party Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti along with nationalist Mir Balaach Marri demanded for greater autonomy to province and hold over its resources and also to stop military from making new bases in Balochistan as Balochistan was never a field of battle and is surrounded by friendly countries and provinces, that demand was refused by Pervez Musharaf latest dictator Pakistan’s long Military rulers, he refused to cede to the demands of Baluch people and tried to nip them in the bud, that caused wide spread resistance against dictator’s regime and his nature of killing each with gun, Musharaf ‘s actions are still continued and he is responsible for killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti and scores of Baloch are killed and property worth billions of dollars destroyed since 2005 and still continued.
Policies of Musharaf has caused wide spread hatred and deaths among Baluchis, since than an other issue of ethnic killing is at the highest in Balochistan , specially in Quetta against Punjabi setllers and among ethnic Hazaras , on the average 1 person is killed in Quetta daily may it be a Panjabi, a Pathan or a Hazara but a million dollar question is why a Barbar (punjabi) in Jhatpat, a school Teacher who is also a punjabi in Sibi and a lower order functionary from Punjab in Khuzdar or any other area in balochistan is not killed why it is killed in Quetta only?
Another Bad result of Musharaf’s policies which he persuaded is that moderate sane element among balochis were sidelined , he relied on religious bigots to strengthen its hold in province and root away moderates & used iron hands against nationalist and killing of 80+ Nawab Akbar Bugti is one example of Musharaf’s egoist and apolitical Ghunda style of autocracy .
He illegally allotted hundreds of thousands of acres of land in Gawadar to civil and military beaurocrates so benefiting outsiders at the expense of Balochi people, as they did in Sindh .every one who retired from Military has to get Land in Sindh not a single Sindhi or Baloch has got Lands allotted in Punjab or NWFP since 1947 ? that is why the feel of colonialism is never gone from Sindh and Balochistan.
The military has reportedly sought 11000 acres of land in in Gawadar to construct what it calls a Combined Defense Complex; the other projects in Gawadar will displace 70,000 balochis from their ancestral land.
Musharaf had another project in mind he wanted to sell every available land to his cronies inside and outside establishment, he also sold sindh’s Islands which are vital for biodiversity & for the survival of fish, prawns and mangroves population, He also annouced Soanmiani port in May May 2007 at soan maini , 70 Kms from Karachi, The Balochistan assembly unanimously passed a resolution against ports construction but brute continued so that like HUB Soanmiani should also become property of MQM as they had already extended up to Thatta & engulfed hub town in Karachi, now coastal expansion of Karachi towards further Baloch areas was his true wish ,He has time and again proved himself more loyal to linguistic and terrorist organization than their founders!
How much insensitive are our rulers to the sentiments of common men and smaller provinces and their grievances is proven from the facts that Islamabad kept rubbing salts on the wounds of Baloch people , that Balochistan Levies were banned in the Musharaf regime from the most districts of the Balochistan and later on merged in Balochistan Police, that move was widely resisted & created another episode of resentment against the centre because Baloch thought that Levies were familiar with Local customs and traditions and serve the communities well than predominantly Non Baloch Police !!
Military Operations on going since Musharaf regime and past has always caused resentment among locals, this time it added fuel to already worsening situation in baloch youth & commoner. It also caused & triggered interprovincial tension as army is predominantly Punjabi.
In January 2005, military operation was initiated to suppress the armed protests by tribal militias ,consisting mainly of tribes men following the gang rape of a Lady Doctor Shazia Khalid on Jan.7.2005, allegedly by an Army Officer and accomplice!!
In December 2005 The full scale Army operation following the firing of eight rockets at a para- military base outside Kohlu, which is a strong hold of the Marri tribe during Musharaf’s visit to the area on 14th December 2005, Paramilitary troops started aerial bombardment at Kohlu on 17th December, 2005, they claimed to fire at strong holds of militants but by the mid June 2007 it was in international and national reports that 400-500 innocent Baloch people were killed in those operations by that time.**
According to Baloch Nationalist Party (Mengal) which is popularly known as BNP-Mengal group on 12,December 2006 that at least 3000-4000 Baloch youth were in custody of Pakistan’s intelligence agencies.
Thousands of Balochis were imprisoned and tortured and killed by eight year long repressive regime of Musharaf and in 2006 than interior minister admitted to have around 4000 Baloch in custody!!!!
Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, the head of JWP was killed in an army operation on august 27,2006 and his sons were not allowed to inherit his property and funeral was allowed in controlled and shrouded way, it flame a wide spread simmering hatred against federation in to a volcano against centre and Punjab.
Saleem baloch was arrested in February 2008 and remained in custody for eight long months ,he is Senior vice President of JWP, in 2006 crises group reperted courtesy HRCP numerous incidences of intimidation, arbitrary arrests, torture, disappearances and Extra judicial killings in Balochistan , incidences were markedly high in Balochistan than any other part country they reported 92 total disapearances in country and Balochistan share was 69 out of that in Jan 2006 and in December 2006 report was 242 total disappearances country wide among them Baloch share was an alarming 170 !!
Baluchistan remained most neglected in the post Partition era while Bengal and sindh also share same view, but it was most marked during Zia & Musharaf’s regimes, no concrete measure were taken during the floods and cyclones during June-July 2007, Death toll 180 in July and it has risen to 420 in September.
Using the National Disaster Management’s data , a local NGO, RDPI has portrayed a very dismal & heart breaking portrait of relief efforts of government, according to RDPI there were only seven relief camps in whole Baluchistan in June and July ,while sindh has 108 camps, though the Baluchistan was more hardly hit !!
During that emergency over 5000 villages in Baluchistan and 1400 in Sindh were badly hit, losses in Baluchistan were amounted to 417million dollars , about 5000 roads were washed away in Baluchistan alone.
Because of its faulty design the newly built and much projected Mirani dam flooded vast areas in Turbat, Naseerabad, Kharan and other southern districts of Baluchistan.
Baluchistan has never been financially independent despite its huge natural resources and reservoirs and 700 kms long productive coastal line, fisheries and ship breaking industry, if only fish industry were developed in past 63 years Baloch were financially independent, it has large reservoirs of Natural Gas, minerals, coal, and oil some tapped, some trapped and some yet to be found , Balochistan produces country’s 40% energy requirement but some years back most of Baluchistan were without gas facility and large areas import energy from neighboring Iran despite the fact that their Gas is pumped to whole country, 80% of province energy needs are met from biomass energy !!
Till recent months Baluchistan was receiving only few rupees (Rs 38/Million BTU) on royalty of its huge Gas supply in comparison to royalty given to Sindh (140) and Punjab(80-190/M. BTU in PKR). Despite another fact that job to Baloch youth are banned as per policy on their gas fields!!
Baluchistan is heavily in debited to centre and its debit has reached to some 417million $s, it drastically reduces the already scarce financial resources for development, on the contrary it receives very meager amount from federal divisible pool which is still being shared on the basis of population alone not on the basis of need and area or on the basis of income generated, so Punjab the most developed and industrialized , educated and most resource full gets 53.36 % from federal divisible pool while Baluchistan gets only 5.11% and Sindh gets 23.71% while it gives centre 72% of income.
Social indicators of Baluchistan are also drastically poor according Ministry Of Finance it has lowest Literacy rate country wide, fewest education institutions and lowest ranking in gender parity index, the average literacy rate in age 10 and above is only 36 %!!
According to multiple cluster survey conducted in 2004,over 3/4th of females and 2/3rd of males over age 12 were literate compared to national percentage of 52%, according to survey one quarter of districts in Balochistan have their female literacy rate in single figure! Dera Bugti has only 2% female literacy rate and its lowest in country !!!
Poverty levels are also alarming in 2003 it was 41-47% in Province while national average is 35.71% according to white paper on budget 2009-10.
Health facilities & facilities of clean drinking water and sanitation are a dreamily scarce in a province who is 44% of Pakistan’s land, only 35% of children gets full immunization and its EPI survey report, Infant mortality rates and maternal mortality rate is comparable to least developed areas like Somalia.
According to a youth development survey young people of Baluchistan are twice less likely to get jobs in comparison to their Punjabi counterparts and federal quota of Jobs goes mainly to Punjabis , even seats of Baluchistan are occupied by Punjabis on the domiciles of Baluchistan in centre and in Baluchistan on bogus documentation.
Only 25 % percent of rural population of Baluchistan gets electricity even in this electronic age ! It has meager means of communication too, it has 22ooo. Kms of metallic and shingled roads but province gets very little amount for their maintenance.
The centre is treating Baluchistan it is a culture medium for hatred , Baloch have every right to ask for remedies and immediate actions to redress their grievances from rest of Pakistan, its sane and very vocal new born media, its intelligentsia and its political & democratic government and forces to redress their issue immediately and stop army action in DeraBugti- Kohlu areas and priority development in these and other areas of Baluchistan , Establishment of Pakistan should see the writing on the wall, killing, arresting and torturing innocent and vocal political activists is not the answer to the question.
What was done in East Pakistan should never repeat in Baluchistan, we should learn from past and our mistakes, otherwise we should not blame on other to interfere in our internal affairs.
Long we have proved a sore thumb to little provinces and to our neighbors we have re think and re draft our long standing, dictatorial policies internal and external, now its time to change those policies, maybe we need a new constitution based on social justice and equality to all members of federation otherwise writing on the wall is clear and it is blocked and looks green only to color blind!!
Baluchistan.
On the edge of volcano!!!
It was a nice autumn morning of Quetta, when Aslam Mirza woke up as usual in his sprawling mansion where he lives now a days with his partner for life khadija & one maid servant, he has been living in this city since he was five and came to than a serene town in late sixties with his father and family, he did his schooling here ,his family is settled all over Pakistan, a sister in karachi and one in Lahore, younger son studying in a university in Islamabad and elder in UK for his MBA.
That morning he completed his usual chores ,took break fast,saw headings in local paper and left his home to settle some issues at his Poultary farms behind Airport,his driver came to pick him up and he left his home at 10 Am, his usual time for business, He and his family has friends all over Pakistan in almost all nook & corners ,Baluchistan was his adopted province so he has friends in hardline baluchis to establishment of Pakistan.
Just half an hour after he left his home a terrible news reached his home, He was gunned down along with his driver ,both died on the spot .
Ongoing crises in Baluchistan has played havoc with the lives of people living in Baluchistan since3 the last four Year, it augmented with the death of Nawab Akbar Bugti, problem goes on & on, the history of Baluchistan issue started the day this nation was born.
Pakistan establishment was never comfortable with Baluchis, Baluch chieftains accepted Quad-E-Azam’s invitation to join Pakistan voluntarily provided there Tribal status is respected & not disturbed, baluchistan was divided in to Pashtunes, Baluchis which included Makrani Baluchis and at that time Part of Baluchistan was ruled by Sultanate of Oman i-e areas of Gawadar & Pasni.
Later on Ayub Khan paid sum to release Gawadar and Pasni from Oman but they still have huge influence in these areas.
First insurgency was in 1948 which was done by than Khan of Qalat Mir Ahmed Yar khan which was brutally controlled by Ayub Khan than COAS.
Baluchistan comprises about 44% of land area of Pakistan with 770 Kms, long coastal line but according to Population census of 1998 it makes only 5%of total population of country(6.5Million) with 2/3rd living in rural areas.
Ethnic make up of Baluchistan includes 54.7% Baluch , 29% Pashtune tribes and 7% settlers, Baluch Pashtunes imbalance created by 2 million refugees from Afghanistan has almost destroyed the fabric of Baluchistan and now leaders of Pakhtun khwa Mili awami party demands separate Pashtunes Province in Baluchistan that has caused rift among Baluch and Pashtunes because these refugees posses properties and ID cards and naturally has occupied the rights of Natives & a cause of demographic imbalance.
When Mir Ahmed Yar khan declared State of Qalat as independent in 1948 & refused to merge with Pakistan. Army Garrison in Balochistan was ordered to annex the state and arrest the Khan. Prince Karim his brother started first Armed insurgency in 1948, He was also arrested and imprisoned, in 1958, the army arrested Nauroz Khan triggering guerrilla movement.
Baluchis by nature are free people, they have resisted every move which tried to encroach upon their right and land, by 1963, Pakistan army decided to built new Garrisons in Balochistan as they have successfully caged Sindh, but Baluchis strongly resisted their moves, The Guerrillas led by Sher Mohammed khan Marri established Guerrilla camp over 45000 sq Kms. those guerrillas ambushed convoys and bombed trains, The insurgency came to an end in 1969 when Yahya Khan with drew the one unit scheme.
The Jamiat ulema-i-Islam and National Awami Party in 1972 demanded more rights for ethnic Baluchis in Government, because as a result of 1971 election NAP & JUI made governments in Balochistan which were dismissed by Champion of democracy Z.A.Bhutto and imposed Governor’s rule over Balochistan that move again triggered a wide spread resistance & hue & cry in nationalist factions of Balochistan. This was third insurgency by Balochis against Pakistani establishment it led to killing of more than 5000 Balochis and 3300 soldiers.
The 4th Insurgency continues till to date, it was started when Leader of Jamhoori watan Party Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti along with nationalist Mir Balaach Marri demanded for greater autonomy to province and hold over its resources and also to stop military from making new bases in Balochistan as Balochistan was never a field of battle and is surrounded by friendly countries and provinces, that demand was refused by Pervez Musharaf latest dictator Pakistan’s long Military rulers, he refused to cede to the demands of Baluch people and tried to nip them in the bud, that caused wide spread resistance against dictator’s regime and his nature of killing each with gun, Musharaf ‘s actions are still continued and he is responsible for killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti and scores of Baloch are killed and property worth billions of dollars destroyed since 2005 and still continued.
Policies of Musharaf has caused wide spread hatred and deaths among Baluchis, since than an other issue of ethnic killing is at the highest in Balochistan , specially in Quetta against Punjabi setllers and among ethnic Hazaras , on the average 1 person is killed in Quetta daily may it be a Panjabi, a Pathan or a Hazara but a million dollar question is why a Barbar (punjabi) in Jhatpat, a school Teacher who is also a punjabi in Sibi and a lower order functionary from Punjab in Khuzdar or any other area in balochistan is not killed why it is killed in Quetta only?
Another Bad result of Musharaf’s policies which he persuaded is that moderate sane element among balochis were sidelined , he relied on religious bigots to strengthen its hold in province and root away moderates & used iron hands against nationalist and killing of 80+ Nawab Akbar Bugti is one example of Musharaf’s egoist and apolitical Ghunda style of autocracy .
He illegally allotted hundreds of thousands of acres of land in Gawadar to civil and military beaurocrates so benefiting outsiders at the expense of Balochi people, as they did in Sindh .every one who retired from Military has to get Land in Sindh not a single Sindhi or Baloch has got Lands allotted in Punjab or NWFP since 1947 ? that is why the feel of colonialism is never gone from Sindh and Balochistan.
The military has reportedly sought 11000 acres of land in in Gawadar to construct what it calls a Combined Defense Complex; the other projects in Gawadar will displace 70,000 balochis from their ancestral land.
Musharaf had another project in mind he wanted to sell every available land to his cronies inside and outside establishment, he also sold sindh’s Islands which are vital for biodiversity & for the survival of fish, prawns and mangroves population, He also annouced Soanmiani port in May May 2007 at soan maini , 70 Kms from Karachi, The Balochistan assembly unanimously passed a resolution against ports construction but brute continued so that like HUB Soanmiani should also become property of MQM as they had already extended up to Thatta & engulfed hub town in Karachi, now coastal expansion of Karachi towards further Baloch areas was his true wish ,He has time and again proved himself more loyal to linguistic and terrorist organization than their founders!
How much insensitive are our rulers to the sentiments of common men and smaller provinces and their grievances is proven from the facts that Islamabad kept rubbing salts on the wounds of Baloch people , that Balochistan Levies were banned in the Musharaf regime from the most districts of the Balochistan and later on merged in Balochistan Police, that move was widely resisted & created another episode of resentment against the centre because Baloch thought that Levies were familiar with Local customs and traditions and serve the communities well than predominantly Non Baloch Police !!
Military Operations on going since Musharaf regime and past has always caused resentment among locals, this time it added fuel to already worsening situation in baloch youth & commoner. It also caused & triggered interprovincial tension as army is predominantly Punjabi.
In January 2005, military operation was initiated to suppress the armed protests by tribal militias ,consisting mainly of tribes men following the gang rape of a Lady Doctor Shazia Khalid on Jan.7.2005, allegedly by an Army Officer and accomplice!!
In December 2005 The full scale Army operation following the firing of eight rockets at a para- military base outside Kohlu, which is a strong hold of the Marri tribe during Musharaf’s visit to the area on 14th December 2005, Paramilitary troops started aerial bombardment at Kohlu on 17th December, 2005, they claimed to fire at strong holds of militants but by the mid June 2007 it was in international and national reports that 400-500 innocent Baloch people were killed in those operations by that time.**
According to Baloch Nationalist Party (Mengal) which is popularly known as BNP-Mengal group on 12,December 2006 that at least 3000-4000 Baloch youth were in custody of Pakistan’s intelligence agencies.
Thousands of Balochis were imprisoned and tortured and killed by eight year long repressive regime of Musharaf and in 2006 than interior minister admitted to have around 4000 Baloch in custody!!!!
Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, the head of JWP was killed in an army operation on august 27,2006 and his sons were not allowed to inherit his property and funeral was allowed in controlled and shrouded way, it flame a wide spread simmering hatred against federation in to a volcano against centre and Punjab.
Saleem baloch was arrested in February 2008 and remained in custody for eight long months ,he is Senior vice President of JWP, in 2006 crises group reperted courtesy HRCP numerous incidences of intimidation, arbitrary arrests, torture, disappearances and Extra judicial killings in Balochistan , incidences were markedly high in Balochistan than any other part country they reported 92 total disapearances in country and Balochistan share was 69 out of that in Jan 2006 and in December 2006 report was 242 total disappearances country wide among them Baloch share was an alarming 170 !!
Baluchistan remained most neglected in the post Partition era while Bengal and sindh also share same view, but it was most marked during Zia & Musharaf’s regimes, no concrete measure were taken during the floods and cyclones during June-July 2007, Death toll 180 in July and it has risen to 420 in September.
Using the National Disaster Management’s data , a local NGO, RDPI has portrayed a very dismal & heart breaking portrait of relief efforts of government, according to RDPI there were only seven relief camps in whole Baluchistan in June and July ,while sindh has 108 camps, though the Baluchistan was more hardly hit !!
During that emergency over 5000 villages in Baluchistan and 1400 in Sindh were badly hit, losses in Baluchistan were amounted to 417million dollars , about 5000 roads were washed away in Baluchistan alone.
Because of its faulty design the newly built and much projected Mirani dam flooded vast areas in Turbat, Naseerabad, Kharan and other southern districts of Baluchistan.
Baluchistan has never been financially independent despite its huge natural resources and reservoirs and 700 kms long productive coastal line, fisheries and ship breaking industry, if only fish industry were developed in past 63 years Baloch were financially independent, it has large reservoirs of Natural Gas, minerals, coal, and oil some tapped, some trapped and some yet to be found , Balochistan produces country’s 40% energy requirement but some years back most of Baluchistan were without gas facility and large areas import energy from neighboring Iran despite the fact that their Gas is pumped to whole country, 80% of province energy needs are met from biomass energy !!
Till recent months Baluchistan was receiving only few rupees (Rs 38/Million BTU) on royalty of its huge Gas supply in comparison to royalty given to Sindh (140) and Punjab(80-190/M. BTU in PKR). Despite another fact that job to Baloch youth are banned as per policy on their gas fields!!
Baluchistan is heavily in debited to centre and its debit has reached to some 417million $s, it drastically reduces the already scarce financial resources for development, on the contrary it receives very meager amount from federal divisible pool which is still being shared on the basis of population alone not on the basis of need and area or on the basis of income generated, so Punjab the most developed and industrialized , educated and most resource full gets 53.36 % from federal divisible pool while Baluchistan gets only 5.11% and Sindh gets 23.71% while it gives centre 72% of income.
Social indicators of Baluchistan are also drastically poor according Ministry Of Finance it has lowest Literacy rate country wide, fewest education institutions and lowest ranking in gender parity index, the average literacy rate in age 10 and above is only 36 %!!
According to multiple cluster survey conducted in 2004,over 3/4th of females and 2/3rd of males over age 12 were literate compared to national percentage of 52%, according to survey one quarter of districts in Balochistan have their female literacy rate in single figure! Dera Bugti has only 2% female literacy rate and its lowest in country !!!
Poverty levels are also alarming in 2003 it was 41-47% in Province while national average is 35.71% according to white paper on budget 2009-10.
Health facilities & facilities of clean drinking water and sanitation are a dreamily scarce in a province who is 44% of Pakistan’s land, only 35% of children gets full immunization and its EPI survey report, Infant mortality rates and maternal mortality rate is comparable to least developed areas like Somalia.
According to a youth development survey young people of Baluchistan are twice less likely to get jobs in comparison to their Punjabi counterparts and federal quota of Jobs goes mainly to Punjabis , even seats of Baluchistan are occupied by Punjabis on the domiciles of Baluchistan in centre and in Baluchistan on bogus documentation.
Only 25 % percent of rural population of Baluchistan gets electricity even in this electronic age ! It has meager means of communication too, it has 22ooo. Kms of metallic and shingled roads but province gets very little amount for their maintenance.
The centre is treating Baluchistan it is a culture medium for hatred , Baloch have every right to ask for remedies and immediate actions to redress their grievances from rest of Pakistan, its sane and very vocal new born media, its intelligentsia and its political & democratic government and forces to redress their issue immediately and stop army action in DeraBugti- Kohlu areas and priority development in these and other areas of Baluchistan , Establishment of Pakistan should see the writing on the wall, killing, arresting and torturing innocent and vocal political activists is not the answer to the question.
What was done in East Pakistan should never repeat in Baluchistan, we should learn from past and our mistakes, otherwise we should not blame on other to interfere in our internal affairs.
Long we have proved a sore thumb to little provinces and to our neighbors we have re think and re draft our long standing, dictatorial policies internal and external, now its time to change those policies, maybe we need a new constitution based on social justice and equality to all members of federation otherwise writing on the wall is clear and it is blocked and looks green only to color blind!!
Monday, November 16, 2009
BALUCHISTAN ISSUE
Baluchistan.
On the edge of volcano!!!
It was a nice autumn morning of Quetta, when Ali Jan afandi woke up as usual in his sprawling mansion where he lives now adays with his partener for life khadija & one maid servant, he has been living in this city since he was five and came to than a serene town in late sixties with his father and family, he did his schooling here ,his family is settled all over Pakistan, a sister in karachi and one in lahore, younger son studying in a university in Islamabad and elder in UK for his MBA.
That morning he completed his usual chores ,took break fast,saw headings in local paper and left his home to settle some issues at his Poultary farms behind Airport,his driver came to pick him up and he left his home at 10 Am, his usual time for business, He and his family has friends all over Pakistan in almost all nook & corners ,Baluchistan was his adopted province so he has friends in hardline baluchis to establishment of Pakistan.
Just half an hour after he left his home a terrible news reached his home, He was gunned down along with his driver ,both died on the spot .
Ongoing crises in Baluchistan has played havoc with the lives of people living in Baluchistan since3 the last four Year, it augmented with the death of Nawab Akbar Bugti, problem goes on & on, the history of Baluchistan issue started the day this nation was born.
Pakistan establishment was never comfortable with Baluchis, Baluch cheiftans accepted Quad-E-Azam’s invitation to join Pakistan voluntarily provided there Tribal status is respected & npot disturbed, baluchistan was divided in to Pashtunes, Baluchis which included Makrani Baluchis and at that time Part of Baluchistan was ruled by Sultanate of Oman i-e areas of Gawadar & Pasni.
Later on Ayub Khan paid sum to release Gawadar and Pasni from Oman but they still have huge influence in these areas.
First insurgency was in 1948 which was done by than Khan of Qalat Mir Ahmed Yar khan which was brutaly controlled by Ayub Khan than COAS.
Baluchistan comprises about 44% of land area of Pakistan with 770 Kms long coastal line,but according to Population census of 1998 it makes only 5%of total population of country(6.5Million) with 2/3rd living in rural areas.
Ethnic make up of Baluchistan includes 54.7% Baluchis, 29% Pashtune tribes and 7% settlers, Baluch Pashtune imbalance created by 2 million refugees from Afghanistan has altmost destryed the fabric of Baluchistan and now leaders of Pakhtun khwa Mili awami party demands separate pashtune Province in Baluchistan that has caused rift among Baluch and pashtunes because these refugees posses properties and ID cards and naturally has occupied the rightsof Natives & a cause of demographic imbalance.
When Mir Ahmed Yar khan declared State of Qalat as independent in 1948 & refused to merge with Pakistan Army Garrison in Balochistan was ordered to annex the state and arrest the Khan. Prince Karim his brother started first Armed insurgency in 1948, He was also arrested and imprisoned,in 1958, the army arrested Nauroz Khan triggering guerrillam movement.
Baluchis by nature are free people, they have resisted every move which tried to encroach upon their rightd and land, byu 1963, Pakistan army decided to built new Garrisons in Balochistan as they have successfully caged Sindh, but Baluchis strongly resisted their moves, The Guerrillas led by Sher Mohammed khan Marri established Guerrilla camp over 45000 sq Kms.those guerrillas ambushed convoys and bombede trains, The insurgency came to an end in 1969 when Yahya Khan with drew the one unit scheme.
The Jamiat ulema-i-Islam and National Awami Party in 1972 demanded more rights for ethnic Baluchis in Government, because as a r4esult of 1971 election NAP & JUI made governments in Baluchoistan which were dismissed by Champion of democracy Z.A.Bhutto and imposed Governor’s rule over Balochistan that move again triggered a wide spread resistance & hue & cry in nationlist factions of Balochistan. This was third insurgency by Balochis against Pakistani establishment it led to killing of more than 5000 Balochis and 3300 soldiers.
The 4th Insurgency continues till todate, it was started when Leader of Jamhoori watan Party Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti along with naqtionalist Mir Balaach Marri demanded for greater autonomy to province and hold over its resources and also to stop military from making new bases in balochistan as Balochistan was never a field of battle and is surrounded by friendly countries and provinces, that demand was refused by Pervez Musharaf latest dictator Pakistan’s long Military rulers, he refused to cede to the demands of Baluch people and tried to nip them in the bud, that caused wide spread resistance against dictator’s regime and his nature of killing each with gun, Musharaf ‘s actions are still continued and he is responsible for killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti and scores of Baloch are killed and property worth billions of dollars destryed since 2005 and still continued.
Policies of Musharaf has caused wide spread hatred and deaths among Baluchis, since than an other issue of ethnic killing is at the highest in Balochistan , specially in Quetta against Punjabi setllers and among ethnic Hazaras , on the avarage 1 person is killed in quetta daily may it be a Panjabi, a Pathan or a Hazara but a million dollar question is why a Barbar (punjabi) in Jhatpat, a school Teacher who is also a punjabi in Sibi and a lower order functionary from Punjab in Khuzdar or any other area in balochistan is not killed why it is killed in Quetta only?
Another Bad result of Musharaf’s policies which he pursueded is that moderate sane element among sbalochis were sidelined , he relied on religious bigots to stregthen its hold in province and root away moderates & used iorn hands against nationalist and killing of 80+ Nawab Akbar Bugti is one example of Musharaf’s egoist and apolitical Ghunda style of auto cracy .
He illegally allotted hundreds of thousands of acres of land in Gawadar to civil and military beaurocrates so benifitting out siders at the expence of Balochi people, as they did in Sindh .every one who retired from Military has to get Land in Sindh not a single Sindhi or Baloch has got Lands allotted in Punjab or NWFP since 1947 ? that is why the feel of colonialism is never gone from Sindh and Balochistan.
The military has reportedly soughted 11000 acres of land in in Gawadar to construct what it callls a Combined Defence Complex, the other projects in Gawadar will displace 70,000 baqlochis from their ancestral land.
Musharaf had another project in mind he wanted to sell every available land to his cronies inside and outside establishment, he also sold sindh’s Islands which are vital for biodiversity , fish and mongrooves population, He also annouced Soanmiani port in May May 2007 at soan maini , 70 Kms from Karachi, The Balochistan assembly unanimously passed a resolution against ports construction but brute continued so that like HUB soan Miani should also become property of MQM as they had already extended up to Thatta & engulfed hub town in Karachi, now coastal expansion of Karachi to wqards further Baloch areas was his true wish ,He has time and again proved himself more loyal to linguistic and terrorist organization than their founders!
How much insensitive are our rulers to the sentiments of common men and smaller provinces and their grievances is proven from the facts that Islamabad kept rubbing salts on the wounds of BAloch people , that Balochistan Levies were banned in the Musharaf regime from the most districts of the Balochistan and later on merged in Balochistan Police, that move was widely resisted & created another episode of resentment against the centre because Baloch thought that Leveies were familiar with Local customs and traditions and serve the communities well than predominantly Non Baloch Police !!
Military Operations on going since Musharaf regime and past has always caused resentment among locals, this time it added fuel to already worsening situation in baloch youth & commoner. It also caused & triggered interprovincial tension as army is predominantly Punjabi.
In January 2005, military operation was initiated to suppress the armed protests by tribal militias ,consisting mainly of tribes men following the gang rape of a Lady Doctor Shazia Khalid on Jan.7.2005, allegedly by an Army Officer and accomplice!!
In December 2005 The full scale Army operation following the firing of eight rockets at a para- military base outside Kohlu, which is a strong hold of the Marri tribe during Musharaf’s visit to the area on 14th December 2005, Paramilitary troops started aerial bombardment at Kohlu on 17th December, 2005, they claimed to fire at strong holds of militants but by the mid June 2007 it was in international and national reports that 400-500 innocent Baloch people were killed in those operations by that time.**
According to Baloch Nationalist Party (Mengal) which is popularly known as BNP-Mengal group on 12,December 2006 that at least 3000-4000 Baloch youth were in custody of Pakistan’s intelligence agencies.
Thousands of Balochis were imprisoned and tortured and killed by eight year long repressive regime of Musharaf and in 2006 than interior minister admitted to have around 4000 Baloch in custody!!!!
Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, the head of JWP was killed in an army operation on august 27,2006 and his sons were not allowed to inherit his property and funeral was allowed in controlled and shrouded way, it flame a wide spread simmering hatred against federation in to a volcano against centre and Punjab.
Saleem baloch was arrested in February 2008 and remained in custody for eight long months ,he is Senior vice President of JWP, in 2006 crises group reperted courtesy HRCP numerous incidences of intimidation, arbitrary arrests, torture, disappearances and Extra judicial killings in Balochistan , incidences were markedly high in Balochistan than any other part country they reported 92 total disapearances in country and Balochistan share was 69 out of that in Jan 2006 and in December 2006 report was 242 total disappearances country wide among them Baloch share was an alarming 170 !!
Baluchistan remained most neglected in the post Partition era while Bengal and sindh also share same view, but it was most marked during Zia & Musharaf’s regimes, no concrete measure were taken during the floods and cyclones during June-July 2007, Death toll 180 in July and it has risen to 420 in September.
Using the National Disaster Management’s data , a local NGO, RDPI has portrayed a very dismal & heart breaking portrait of relief efforts of government, according to RDPI there were only seven relief camps in whole Baluchistan in June and July ,while sindh has 108 camps, though the Baluchistan was more hardly hit !!
During that emergency over 5000 villages in Baluchistan and 1400 in Sindh were badly hit, losses in Baluchistan were amounted to 417million dollars , about 5000 roads were washed away in Baluchistan alone.
Because of its faulty design the newly built and much projected Mirani dam flooded vast areas in Turbat, Naseerabad, Kharan and other southern districts of Baluchistan.
Baluchistan has never been financially independent despite its huge natural resources and reservoirs and 700 kms long productive coastal line, fisheries and ship breaking industry, if only fish industry were developed in past 63 years Baloch were financially independent, it has large reservoirs of Natural Gas, minerals, coal, and oil some tapped, some trapped and some yet to be found , Balochistan produces country’s 40% energy requirement but some years back most of Baluchistan were without gas facility and large areas import energy from neighboring Iran despite the fact that their Gas is pumped to whole country, 80% of province energy needs are met from biomass energy !!
Till recent months Baluchistan was receiving only few rupees (Rs 38/Million BTU) on royalty of its huge Gas supply in comparison to royalty given to Sindh (140) and Punjab(80-190/M. BTU in PKR). Despite another fact that job to Baloch youth are banned as per policy on their gas fields!!
Baluchistan is heavily in debited to centre and its debit has reached to some 417million $s, it drastically reduces the already scarce financial resources for development, on the contrary it receives very meager amount from federal divisible pool which is still being shared on the basis of population alone not on the basis of need and area or on the basis of income generated, so Punjab the most developed and industrialized , educated and most resource full gets 53.36 % from federal pool while Baluchistan gets only 5.11% and Sindh gets 23.71% while it gives centre 72% of income.
Social indicators of Baluchistan are also drastically poor according Ministry Of Finance it has lowest Litracy rate country wide, fewest education institutions and lowest ranking in gender parity index, the average litracy rate in age 10 and above is only 36 %!!
According to multiple cluster survey conducted in 2004,over 3/4th of females and 2/3rd of males over age 12 were literate compared to national percentage of 52%, according to survey one quarter of districts in Balochistan have their female litracy rate in single figure! Dera Bugti has only 2% female litracy rat eand its lowest in country !!!
Poverty levels are also alarming in 2003 it was 41-47% in Province while national average is 35.71% according to white paper on budget 2009-10.
Health facilities & facilities of clean drinking water and sanitation are a dreamly scarce in a province who is 44% of Pakistan’s land, only 35% of children gets full immunization and its EPI survey report, Infant mortality rates and maternal mortality rate is comparable to least developed areas like Somalia.
According to a youth development survey young people of Baluchistan are twice less likely to get jobs in comparison to their Punjabi counterparts and federal quota of Jobs goes mainly to Punjabis , even seats of Baluchistan are occupied by Punjabis on the domiciles of Baluchistan in centre and in Baluchistan on bogus documentation.
Only 25 % percent of rural population of Baluchistan gets electricity even in this electronic age ! It has meager means of communication too, it has 22ooo. Kms of metallic and shingled roads but province gets very little amount for their maintenance.
The centre is treating Baluchistan it is a culture medium for hatred , Baloch have every right to ask for remedies and immediate actions to redress their grievances from rest of Pakistan, its sane and very vocal new born media, its intelligentia and its political & democratic government and forces to redress their issue immediately and stop army action in Dera Bugti-Kohlu areas and priority development in these and other areas of Baluchistan , Establishment of Pakistan should see the writing on the wall, killing, arresting and torturing innocent and vocal political activists is not the answer to the question.
What was done in East Pakistan should never repeat in Baluchistan, we should learn from past and our mistakes, otherwise we should not blame on other to interfere in our internal affairs.
Long we have proved a sore thumb to little provinces and to our neighbors we have re think and re draft our long standing, dictatorial policies internal and external, now its time to change those policies, maybe we need a new constitution based on social justice and equality to all members of federation otherwise writing on the wall is clear and it is blocked and looks green only to color blind!!
On the edge of volcano!!!
It was a nice autumn morning of Quetta, when Ali Jan afandi woke up as usual in his sprawling mansion where he lives now adays with his partener for life khadija & one maid servant, he has been living in this city since he was five and came to than a serene town in late sixties with his father and family, he did his schooling here ,his family is settled all over Pakistan, a sister in karachi and one in lahore, younger son studying in a university in Islamabad and elder in UK for his MBA.
That morning he completed his usual chores ,took break fast,saw headings in local paper and left his home to settle some issues at his Poultary farms behind Airport,his driver came to pick him up and he left his home at 10 Am, his usual time for business, He and his family has friends all over Pakistan in almost all nook & corners ,Baluchistan was his adopted province so he has friends in hardline baluchis to establishment of Pakistan.
Just half an hour after he left his home a terrible news reached his home, He was gunned down along with his driver ,both died on the spot .
Ongoing crises in Baluchistan has played havoc with the lives of people living in Baluchistan since3 the last four Year, it augmented with the death of Nawab Akbar Bugti, problem goes on & on, the history of Baluchistan issue started the day this nation was born.
Pakistan establishment was never comfortable with Baluchis, Baluch cheiftans accepted Quad-E-Azam’s invitation to join Pakistan voluntarily provided there Tribal status is respected & npot disturbed, baluchistan was divided in to Pashtunes, Baluchis which included Makrani Baluchis and at that time Part of Baluchistan was ruled by Sultanate of Oman i-e areas of Gawadar & Pasni.
Later on Ayub Khan paid sum to release Gawadar and Pasni from Oman but they still have huge influence in these areas.
First insurgency was in 1948 which was done by than Khan of Qalat Mir Ahmed Yar khan which was brutaly controlled by Ayub Khan than COAS.
Baluchistan comprises about 44% of land area of Pakistan with 770 Kms long coastal line,but according to Population census of 1998 it makes only 5%of total population of country(6.5Million) with 2/3rd living in rural areas.
Ethnic make up of Baluchistan includes 54.7% Baluchis, 29% Pashtune tribes and 7% settlers, Baluch Pashtune imbalance created by 2 million refugees from Afghanistan has altmost destryed the fabric of Baluchistan and now leaders of Pakhtun khwa Mili awami party demands separate pashtune Province in Baluchistan that has caused rift among Baluch and pashtunes because these refugees posses properties and ID cards and naturally has occupied the rightsof Natives & a cause of demographic imbalance.
When Mir Ahmed Yar khan declared State of Qalat as independent in 1948 & refused to merge with Pakistan Army Garrison in Balochistan was ordered to annex the state and arrest the Khan. Prince Karim his brother started first Armed insurgency in 1948, He was also arrested and imprisoned,in 1958, the army arrested Nauroz Khan triggering guerrillam movement.
Baluchis by nature are free people, they have resisted every move which tried to encroach upon their rightd and land, byu 1963, Pakistan army decided to built new Garrisons in Balochistan as they have successfully caged Sindh, but Baluchis strongly resisted their moves, The Guerrillas led by Sher Mohammed khan Marri established Guerrilla camp over 45000 sq Kms.those guerrillas ambushed convoys and bombede trains, The insurgency came to an end in 1969 when Yahya Khan with drew the one unit scheme.
The Jamiat ulema-i-Islam and National Awami Party in 1972 demanded more rights for ethnic Baluchis in Government, because as a r4esult of 1971 election NAP & JUI made governments in Baluchoistan which were dismissed by Champion of democracy Z.A.Bhutto and imposed Governor’s rule over Balochistan that move again triggered a wide spread resistance & hue & cry in nationlist factions of Balochistan. This was third insurgency by Balochis against Pakistani establishment it led to killing of more than 5000 Balochis and 3300 soldiers.
The 4th Insurgency continues till todate, it was started when Leader of Jamhoori watan Party Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti along with naqtionalist Mir Balaach Marri demanded for greater autonomy to province and hold over its resources and also to stop military from making new bases in balochistan as Balochistan was never a field of battle and is surrounded by friendly countries and provinces, that demand was refused by Pervez Musharaf latest dictator Pakistan’s long Military rulers, he refused to cede to the demands of Baluch people and tried to nip them in the bud, that caused wide spread resistance against dictator’s regime and his nature of killing each with gun, Musharaf ‘s actions are still continued and he is responsible for killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti and scores of Baloch are killed and property worth billions of dollars destryed since 2005 and still continued.
Policies of Musharaf has caused wide spread hatred and deaths among Baluchis, since than an other issue of ethnic killing is at the highest in Balochistan , specially in Quetta against Punjabi setllers and among ethnic Hazaras , on the avarage 1 person is killed in quetta daily may it be a Panjabi, a Pathan or a Hazara but a million dollar question is why a Barbar (punjabi) in Jhatpat, a school Teacher who is also a punjabi in Sibi and a lower order functionary from Punjab in Khuzdar or any other area in balochistan is not killed why it is killed in Quetta only?
Another Bad result of Musharaf’s policies which he pursueded is that moderate sane element among sbalochis were sidelined , he relied on religious bigots to stregthen its hold in province and root away moderates & used iorn hands against nationalist and killing of 80+ Nawab Akbar Bugti is one example of Musharaf’s egoist and apolitical Ghunda style of auto cracy .
He illegally allotted hundreds of thousands of acres of land in Gawadar to civil and military beaurocrates so benifitting out siders at the expence of Balochi people, as they did in Sindh .every one who retired from Military has to get Land in Sindh not a single Sindhi or Baloch has got Lands allotted in Punjab or NWFP since 1947 ? that is why the feel of colonialism is never gone from Sindh and Balochistan.
The military has reportedly soughted 11000 acres of land in in Gawadar to construct what it callls a Combined Defence Complex, the other projects in Gawadar will displace 70,000 baqlochis from their ancestral land.
Musharaf had another project in mind he wanted to sell every available land to his cronies inside and outside establishment, he also sold sindh’s Islands which are vital for biodiversity , fish and mongrooves population, He also annouced Soanmiani port in May May 2007 at soan maini , 70 Kms from Karachi, The Balochistan assembly unanimously passed a resolution against ports construction but brute continued so that like HUB soan Miani should also become property of MQM as they had already extended up to Thatta & engulfed hub town in Karachi, now coastal expansion of Karachi to wqards further Baloch areas was his true wish ,He has time and again proved himself more loyal to linguistic and terrorist organization than their founders!
How much insensitive are our rulers to the sentiments of common men and smaller provinces and their grievances is proven from the facts that Islamabad kept rubbing salts on the wounds of BAloch people , that Balochistan Levies were banned in the Musharaf regime from the most districts of the Balochistan and later on merged in Balochistan Police, that move was widely resisted & created another episode of resentment against the centre because Baloch thought that Leveies were familiar with Local customs and traditions and serve the communities well than predominantly Non Baloch Police !!
Military Operations on going since Musharaf regime and past has always caused resentment among locals, this time it added fuel to already worsening situation in baloch youth & commoner. It also caused & triggered interprovincial tension as army is predominantly Punjabi.
In January 2005, military operation was initiated to suppress the armed protests by tribal militias ,consisting mainly of tribes men following the gang rape of a Lady Doctor Shazia Khalid on Jan.7.2005, allegedly by an Army Officer and accomplice!!
In December 2005 The full scale Army operation following the firing of eight rockets at a para- military base outside Kohlu, which is a strong hold of the Marri tribe during Musharaf’s visit to the area on 14th December 2005, Paramilitary troops started aerial bombardment at Kohlu on 17th December, 2005, they claimed to fire at strong holds of militants but by the mid June 2007 it was in international and national reports that 400-500 innocent Baloch people were killed in those operations by that time.**
According to Baloch Nationalist Party (Mengal) which is popularly known as BNP-Mengal group on 12,December 2006 that at least 3000-4000 Baloch youth were in custody of Pakistan’s intelligence agencies.
Thousands of Balochis were imprisoned and tortured and killed by eight year long repressive regime of Musharaf and in 2006 than interior minister admitted to have around 4000 Baloch in custody!!!!
Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, the head of JWP was killed in an army operation on august 27,2006 and his sons were not allowed to inherit his property and funeral was allowed in controlled and shrouded way, it flame a wide spread simmering hatred against federation in to a volcano against centre and Punjab.
Saleem baloch was arrested in February 2008 and remained in custody for eight long months ,he is Senior vice President of JWP, in 2006 crises group reperted courtesy HRCP numerous incidences of intimidation, arbitrary arrests, torture, disappearances and Extra judicial killings in Balochistan , incidences were markedly high in Balochistan than any other part country they reported 92 total disapearances in country and Balochistan share was 69 out of that in Jan 2006 and in December 2006 report was 242 total disappearances country wide among them Baloch share was an alarming 170 !!
Baluchistan remained most neglected in the post Partition era while Bengal and sindh also share same view, but it was most marked during Zia & Musharaf’s regimes, no concrete measure were taken during the floods and cyclones during June-July 2007, Death toll 180 in July and it has risen to 420 in September.
Using the National Disaster Management’s data , a local NGO, RDPI has portrayed a very dismal & heart breaking portrait of relief efforts of government, according to RDPI there were only seven relief camps in whole Baluchistan in June and July ,while sindh has 108 camps, though the Baluchistan was more hardly hit !!
During that emergency over 5000 villages in Baluchistan and 1400 in Sindh were badly hit, losses in Baluchistan were amounted to 417million dollars , about 5000 roads were washed away in Baluchistan alone.
Because of its faulty design the newly built and much projected Mirani dam flooded vast areas in Turbat, Naseerabad, Kharan and other southern districts of Baluchistan.
Baluchistan has never been financially independent despite its huge natural resources and reservoirs and 700 kms long productive coastal line, fisheries and ship breaking industry, if only fish industry were developed in past 63 years Baloch were financially independent, it has large reservoirs of Natural Gas, minerals, coal, and oil some tapped, some trapped and some yet to be found , Balochistan produces country’s 40% energy requirement but some years back most of Baluchistan were without gas facility and large areas import energy from neighboring Iran despite the fact that their Gas is pumped to whole country, 80% of province energy needs are met from biomass energy !!
Till recent months Baluchistan was receiving only few rupees (Rs 38/Million BTU) on royalty of its huge Gas supply in comparison to royalty given to Sindh (140) and Punjab(80-190/M. BTU in PKR). Despite another fact that job to Baloch youth are banned as per policy on their gas fields!!
Baluchistan is heavily in debited to centre and its debit has reached to some 417million $s, it drastically reduces the already scarce financial resources for development, on the contrary it receives very meager amount from federal divisible pool which is still being shared on the basis of population alone not on the basis of need and area or on the basis of income generated, so Punjab the most developed and industrialized , educated and most resource full gets 53.36 % from federal pool while Baluchistan gets only 5.11% and Sindh gets 23.71% while it gives centre 72% of income.
Social indicators of Baluchistan are also drastically poor according Ministry Of Finance it has lowest Litracy rate country wide, fewest education institutions and lowest ranking in gender parity index, the average litracy rate in age 10 and above is only 36 %!!
According to multiple cluster survey conducted in 2004,over 3/4th of females and 2/3rd of males over age 12 were literate compared to national percentage of 52%, according to survey one quarter of districts in Balochistan have their female litracy rate in single figure! Dera Bugti has only 2% female litracy rat eand its lowest in country !!!
Poverty levels are also alarming in 2003 it was 41-47% in Province while national average is 35.71% according to white paper on budget 2009-10.
Health facilities & facilities of clean drinking water and sanitation are a dreamly scarce in a province who is 44% of Pakistan’s land, only 35% of children gets full immunization and its EPI survey report, Infant mortality rates and maternal mortality rate is comparable to least developed areas like Somalia.
According to a youth development survey young people of Baluchistan are twice less likely to get jobs in comparison to their Punjabi counterparts and federal quota of Jobs goes mainly to Punjabis , even seats of Baluchistan are occupied by Punjabis on the domiciles of Baluchistan in centre and in Baluchistan on bogus documentation.
Only 25 % percent of rural population of Baluchistan gets electricity even in this electronic age ! It has meager means of communication too, it has 22ooo. Kms of metallic and shingled roads but province gets very little amount for their maintenance.
The centre is treating Baluchistan it is a culture medium for hatred , Baloch have every right to ask for remedies and immediate actions to redress their grievances from rest of Pakistan, its sane and very vocal new born media, its intelligentia and its political & democratic government and forces to redress their issue immediately and stop army action in Dera Bugti-Kohlu areas and priority development in these and other areas of Baluchistan , Establishment of Pakistan should see the writing on the wall, killing, arresting and torturing innocent and vocal political activists is not the answer to the question.
What was done in East Pakistan should never repeat in Baluchistan, we should learn from past and our mistakes, otherwise we should not blame on other to interfere in our internal affairs.
Long we have proved a sore thumb to little provinces and to our neighbors we have re think and re draft our long standing, dictatorial policies internal and external, now its time to change those policies, maybe we need a new constitution based on social justice and equality to all members of federation otherwise writing on the wall is clear and it is blocked and looks green only to color blind!!
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