The Deputy Chairman Senate Jan M Jamali, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Secretary General Mushahid Hussain Syed and the nationalist leaders on Monday called for an immediate end to the military operation in Balochistan, arguing for constitutional amendments to make the provinces stronger.
They proposed that the Senate should be made more powerful to take up matters pertaining to the provinces' resources, money bill, defence budget, appointment of judges and services chiefs.
Speakers from different political parties spoke on a national dialogue on 'Balochistan conflict', and none of them backed the use of force. Strong voices were raised for the release of forcibly disappeared persons and that to demand rights was no crime in any part of the globe.
The dialogue also dwelt on political matters, saying the return and participation of Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif was one of the imperatives to make the elections, free, fair and transparent.
The crux of the speeches was loud and clears that in order to make the Federation strong, provinces must be given powers envisaged in 1973 Constitution to give a healing touch to the 'isolated, bruised and battered' people of Balochistan.
Some speakers advocated for drastic amendments in the Constitution to do away with long-standing deprivations among the smaller provinces.
It was perhaps for the first time that Jan Jamali after being elected as deputy chairman of the Senate early this year, in his speech, proposed formation of a reconciliation commission to save the country.
He pointed out that the people of Balochistan had traditions and its manifestation was that veteran leader Nawab Akbar Bugti was killed in a cave, but he did not surrender. The senator said, "we are not against Gwadar port, but Balochs should have equal share in development". Senator Mushahid also indirectly opposed the Centre holding maximum powers, saying it was time to make the provinces strong and not the Centre.
He described the forced disappearances and kidnappings as a reflection of a typical mindset. "No one should be afraid of rallies and public meetings," the PML leader maintained. Opposition leader in the Senate Senator Mian Raza Rabbani cautioned that clock was ticking and the rulers must act now by halting the military operation, releasing political activists and holding a meaningful dialogue with the nationalists.
"If we failed to act now. History will not forgive us," he contended. To a question, the senator said that combined opposition was prepared to rejoin the Parliamentary Committee on Balochistan, provided the military action was stopped and forces were pulled out as a confidence-building measure.
He said that even the opposition was ready to talk to the nationalists if their demands were fulfilled. The ruling PML Senator SM Zafar, who is chairman of the house standing committee on human rights, pleaded that instead of conquering anyone, we should concentrate on winning hearts.
"You simply can't win hearts by force. The United States has learnt this lesson. Win hearts not areas. Those demanding their rights are not traitors and this term should be banned in the political realm," he strongly recommended. He contended that the task who was a traitor and who was patriotic should be left to the judiciary, if at all it was to be decided on any particular matter.
The noted jurist believed that 1973 Constitution was a very good document, but its non-implementation led to complications. The senator threw high weight behind giving more powers to the Senate, saying this would improve the things and to push the Federation smoothly forward.
He said that most of the items mentioned in the Concurrent List would be given to the provinces, as a decision had almost been taken. However, he believed that the process of development in the province should not be impeded.
"Development without giving a political space will be meaningless. For the nationalities' identification democracy is a must and it was imperative that 2007 elections should be free, fair and transparent," he argued.
Jamhoori Watan Party Information Secretary Amanullah Kunrani said that the nationalists always believed in peaceful co-existence and solution of problems through talks, but they were forced to take arms.
He reiterated that the demands aired by late Bugti in October 2002 during his talks with PML President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Mushahid could have defused the situation. Senator Raza M Raza of Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party warned that the only possible way for the survival of the country lied in making the provinces powerful and autonomous.
The nationalist lawmaker believed that oil, gas and other natural resources belonged to the federating units, but the Centre was taking away this wealth. "Even today, 43,000 Pakhtoons in NWFP and Balochistan are without electricity, whereas they sacrificed their rights for building reservoirs," he said.
Leader of opposition in Balochistan Assembly Kachkol Ali said they wanted to live in the Federation, but not at the cost of their rights. He said the nationalists never wanted to destroy the home they built by offering sacrifices and earned titles of rebel.
He called for induction of increased number of Baloch youth in the armed forces to remove stigma from the army that it was Punjab-dominated. Ali alleged that hundreds of nationalist youths had been taken away and subjected to torture, setting aside legal procedure. "The rulers should remember that it is not a Ranjeet Singh or Mughal era," he remarked.
Veteran politician Amanullah Gichki pointed out that apart from the measures and remedies articulated by the speakers, the rulers should not overlook the fact that Balochistan was now a hotbed of intrigues, being hatched by the United States, India and some other countries. Dr Samina Ahmed of International Crisis Group believed that for the revival of peace in the province, the government should respect the fundamental rights of the locals by halting the operation.