The Federal government claims that army troops have been withdrawn from Kohlu, and have stopped construction of Kohlu cantonment, whereas it has constituted a committee for dialogue, after Chief Minister Aslam Raisani and Governor Zulfiqar Magasi accused the previous governments of bringing prosperity to other provinces by utilising Balochistan's resources.
This is the crux of special cabinet meeting, held in Quetta on July 13, 2011, presided over by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.
Official documents obtained from the Cabinet Division along with the plan to take the Federal Ministers and their officials show that the cabinet was informed that the incumbent government was the first to seriously take into account the factors resulting in unabated unrest in the "largest province". It was in this context that the project Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan was initiated on the initiative of the Prime Minister who constituted a parliamentary committee to analyse the needs of Balochistan to have a threadbare examination of the situation in the province and to come up with practical recommendations for uplift of the people of Balochistan for bringing them in the national mainstream, reducing their alienation and sense of deprivation.
After due debate and deliberations, the Parliament, on the recommendations of the parliamentary committee on Aghaz-e-HaqooqBalochistan, unanimously approved a package of sixty-one (61) policy measures functionally classified in four categories mainly constitutional, political, administrative and economic.
The cabinet was given a detailed presentation by the Establishment Division and provincial government on the implementation status of the Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan package.
The concerned ministries and the relevant organisations, which contributed to the implementation, were also present in the meeting to respond to the questions raised during the meeting.
It was stated that with the passage of the 18th Amendment, deletion of the Concurrent Legislative List and Devolution of the functions from federal level to the provinces, a major part of the Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan package was already implemented, in its constitutional, administrative and economic dimensions. The Council of Common Interests (CCI) and the National Economic Council (NEC) have been re-constituted and consultations with the Government of Balochistan are underway to materialise the spirit of the Provincial autonomy under the 18th amendment.
In the political context, the cabinet was informed that 172 cases of political workers, not involved in heinous crimes, had been withdrawn by the government. It was stated that out of 142 cases of missing persons, 42 have reached their homes and, after dispensing with the bogus cases, 46 are being traced.
It was stated that a Commission headed by former Justice Mansoor Kamal Alam functioned from May to December 2010 while another Commission to enquire remaining cases is working since March 2011. It was further stated that Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Division has initiated process to constitute a Commission to determine circumstances which led to the death of Akbar Bugti. The Cabinet was assured by the Interior Minister that the Commission would constituted under the chairmanship of a Judge of Supreme Court of Pakistan.
The Cabinet was further informed by the Interior Minister that Army has been withdrawn from Kohlu, and replaced by Frontier Constabulary. Moreover, directions have been issued to IG FC Balochistan to seek guidance/instructions from the Chief Minister of Balochistan on issues of internal security of the province. The construction of the Kohlu Cantonment has already been stopped and the Sui area has already been placed under the FC jurisdiction. A corps headquarters and four wings of FC have been raised to replace army deployment in the area. The unnecessary check-posts of FC have also been dismantled.
The cabinet was apprised that a judicial inquiry into the allotment of land at Gwadar has been ordered and Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court has nominated a Judge of Balochistan High Court to head the probe. The Commission was duly notified by the Law and Justice Division on 8th July 2011.
An amount of Rs one billion each has already been released by the Cabinet Division and the Ministry of Finance to the Government of Balochistan for payment of compensations to flood affectees of Balochistan; special quota in HEC scholarships has been initiated and 750 scholarship have already been awarded during 2009-2011, while another 450 scholarship will be awarded during 2011-12. Furthermore, HEC has submitted a PC-1 for 600 scholarships at a cost of Rs 3.5641 billion.
According to the documents, the Cabinet was informed that royalty formula for Gas Development Surcharge (GDS) has been rationalised. Rs 10 billion (out of 120 billion to be paid in 12 years) has been released by the Federal Government during the last financial year and that ten percent of revenue received by the province would be spent in the respective districts, in terms of the package. The demand of Balochistan for increase in its share in the NFC Award has also been fulfilled and share of Balochistan in the divisible pool has been raised from 5.1 percent to 9.09 percent, while an amount of one billion rupees has also been allocated for rehabilitation of IDPs from Dera Bugti. Additionally, an amount of Rs 120 million has also been paid to the IDPs of Maula Bund Area.
The Cabinet was further apprised that the process to make Gwadar as Free Economic Zone (FEZ) and reserving the posts in BS-1 to 16 in Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) for youth of the area is already in progress. All recruitments in BS 1 to 16 are being made from the local population; 87 youths working on contract in Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) have been regularised; 142 out of 150 in BS 1 to 16 belong to Balochistan; 45,000 acres of land (to be enhanced to 80,000 acres) has been earmarked for Free Zone, which is being established on the eastern side of Jinnah Avenue, Gwadar.
It was stated that the GPA has also apportioned Rs 3.713 million, being 10 percent of total revenue of GPA, for Government of Balochistan, as envisaged in Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan Package. It was further stated that 25 local contractors, out of total 44, have been engaged in the Balochistan projects.
Documents further show that the Governor and the Chief Minister of Balochistan expressed their disillusionment on the attitude and apathy of the successive previous governments in Islamabad towards the welfare of the people of Balochistan ~and the development of the Province, which on its part had substantially contributed in the prosperity of the other provinces, through its rich mineral resources, like natural gas. They regretted that Balochistan has never been the priority and, therefore, its genuine share in progress had long been denied. They, however, appreciated the initiative taken by the Prime Minister, for the first time, to think about the rights of Balochistan as reflected in the Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan Package. They underlined the need for creating an enabling environment of dialogue with the patriotic leadership of Balochistan and appreciated the President for appointing a committee.
After detailed discussion and hearing the officials of federal as well as provincial government, the cabinet took the following decisions: (i) remaining part of the package should be implemented by all concerned on fast track basis in meaningful co-ordination and consultation with the provincial government; (ii) The Commission to determine circumstances which led to the death of Nawab Akbar Bugti shall be constituted under the chairmanship of a Judge of the Supreme Court; (iii) ban on recruitments of the Balochistan domiciled candidates against the Federal Government posts be lifted forthwith; (iv) recruitments against 3000 Levies' posts be expedited; (v) Finance and Planning Divisions shall co-ordinate with provincial government of Balochistan for prioritising the funding of development projects in the Province; and (v) Ministry of Information shall ensure wide publicity to the implementation of the Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan package.
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