The famous “Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan package” (AHB), launched by the government holds the promise of a better tomorrow for Balochistan. The present government seems determined to focus on “one-point agenda of AHB”. Some of the points addressed so far are:
a) building of four new cantonments have been dropped,
b) Thousands of contractual/daily wages employees have been regularised, at least 9,000 Baloch youths are being recruited in the army, with selection criterion/age limits relaxed.
c) Action on early recovery of missing persons in Balochistan resulted in the reducing the list to 55 from 6,000.
d) NFC has been awarded according to the aspiration of general masses.
e) Decision to withdraw cases against annoyed Baloch leaders will go a long way in building confidence amongst all the stockholders.
I think that offering dialogue to exiled Baloch nationalist leaders by PM Gilani is also a step in right direction. Undoubtedly, a meaningful dialogue process with all the stakeholders will bring perpetual peace in the province. In this connection, representatives of Nawab Marri, Sardar Mengal, Brahamdag Bugti and Khan of Kalat, Mir Suleiman Daud, should be included. The other players in the Baloch nationalist camp include Balochistan’s four political parties.
Lastly, armed resistance groups (the Baloch Liberation Army, Balochistan Liberation United Front, Baloch Republican Army, Baloch Liberation Front and Lashkar-e-Balochistan) should be requested for peace talks. Besides, several local mediators (philanthropists, scholars, politicians, teachers etc) renowned for their integrity, should be approached to persuade Baloch leadership towards a “meaningful dialogue”. These mediators will seek to heal relations between opposing sides by uncovering all pertinent facts, and will help create a process of healing psychological wounds that may afflict the victims of injustice. If nothing else, it can help the nation address past grievances and move forward with unity.
AFSHAIN HAMEED RAJA
Rawalpindi
