Balochistan package: government says 31 out of 61 proposals fully implemented

After passage of almost 17 months of the Aghaz Haqooq-e-Balochistan (AHB) package, the government has claimed that it has fully implemented 31 out of 61 proposals. The package, aimed to address the grievances of Balochistan, was prepared by Senator Raza Rabbani. It was divided into four categories: constitutional, political, administrative, and economic including a monitoring mechanism.
The parliament had formally approved the package unanimously on November 23, 2009 and a committee headed by Raza Rabbani was charged with the responsibility of implementing it. Later, Interior Minister Rehman Malik replaced Rabbani as head of the committee to oversee the package. However, the pace of implementation remained very slow. Establishment Division has been functioning as the Secretariat for the Cabinet Committee on Aghaz e Haqooq e Balochistan and is entrusted with implementing and monitoring progress.
But there is no visible development on the major proposals as the government has not implemented the proposal of political dialogue with major stakeholders, return of exiles not involved in terrorism, implementation of unanimous Assembly Resolution since 2002, role of federal agencies in Balochistan, dams have not been constructed, share in Saindak project has not been given, commission on Akbar Bugti's death has not been constituted and judicial inquiry in allotment of Gawadar land has not been initiated.
Talking to Business Recorder, Senator Ismail Buledi said that there has not been even one percent implementation of Aghaz Huqooq-e-Balochistan package. He said employment generation and construction of dams did not commence, adding that the package was merely a verbal commitment.
Senator Shahid Hasan Bugti (Independent) concurred with Buledi. He said that the issue of missing persons could not be resolved, adding that first there was the issue of missing people and now the issue was of dead bodies in sacks. Bugti said there was need to resolve the core issues. He said commission on Akbar Bugti's death has not yet been constituted.
Senator Engr. Humayun Mandukhel said that the pace of implementation on the package was very slow, and suggested accelerating the pace of implementation. On the other hand, Establishment Division insists that 31 proposals have been fully implemented. It claims that five out of six constitutional proposals have been fully implemented, which included deletion of concurrent list from 4th schedule, deletion of Police Order 2002 and Balochistan Local Government Ordinance 2001 from 6th schedule, implementation of Article 153-Council of Common Interests, implementation of Article-160 NFC and constitutional amendments and provincial autonomy by parliamentary committees.
Out of five political proposals, two proposals have been fully implemented, claims the Establishment Division. These include Amendment of Local Government Ordinance for Administrative purpose and release of political workers not involved in heinous crime.
The administrative proposals that have fully been implemented as per the Establishment Division include replacement of army by FC, stopping of cantonment construction including in Sui and Kohlu, army withdrawal from Sui replaced by FC, Constitution of Commission for missing persons, Judicial Enquiry into murder of Baloch political workers (Ghulam Muhammad, Munir Ahmed), review of Policy of Conversion of 'B' areas, 'A' areas, coastal Guards to perform their primary duties only, and finance due on account of flood relief.
The administrative proposals, the Establishment Division claims are in the advanced stage include (i) the majority of missing persons have been identified though following actions are yet to be taken: (i) persons with no charge to be released; (ii) Those charged be presented for trail; (iii) Such persons be allowed legal counsel of choice, Government Assistance as per Law; and (iv) Their families be informed.
In addition provision under the customs act to be withdrawn from the Coast Guards and Coastal Guards check posts beyond their territorial limits to be dismantled are also in advanced stage of implementation. Out of 34 economic related proposals one proposal, in advanced stage of implementation, is employment opportunities - (i) generation of 5000 jobs for graduates of Balochistan (financed by Federal Government for 4 years) and (ii) quota of province is being observed.
The economic related proposals that are in the initial stage include, rationalisation of royalty formula, provision of gas to district where explored, rationalisation of royalty formula, 10 percent of the net profits to be spent on development projects in the area, project to be opened to scrutiny by third-party auditors, mega projects - free economic zone at Gwadar, with regulated political activity, construction of two jetties for fishermen, fisheries training centre be constructed, Balochistan to nominate chairman of Gawadar Development Authority, chief minister to be ex-officio chairman of Gawadar Development Authority, a) Sui special development package, and b) withdrawal of Army from Sui, employment opportunities - recruitment for employment abroad, Balochistan to be able for purchase 20 percent of shares in PPL, OGDC and Sui Southern in open market.