I had a chance to attend a seminar yesterday. Quite interesting and intriguing I must say where a number of representatives of PONAM (Pakistan Oppressed Nations’ Movement) and other nationalist parties were present. I am posting here the news item where the main highlights of the seminar can be found.
http://www.dawn.com/2004/10/16/local3.htm
KARACHI, Oct 15: Provinces must have control over their resources and they should have the final say in their development, said the participants at a round-table conference on rights of the provinces over resources, on Friday.
Organized by the Pakistan Institute Labour Education and Research, in collaboration with the Minority Rights Commission of Pakistan, the conference discussed issues on establishment of cantonments / garrisons, fear of demographic changes, population dislocations.
The "classified Gwadar Master Plan’ and government’s silence over the resettlement and compensation issues were also highlighted in the light of the demand at Lahore roundtable that the Gwadar Port Trust Authority office be shifted to Gwadar.
The moot also deplored the government for the prevailing unrest in Balochistan. Representatives of the various nationalist parties of Balochistan and Sindh participated in the deliberations and reiterated their reservations over Gwadar port, establishment of cantonments, and blamed federal government and Punjab for allegedly usurping rights and resources of the people of other federating units.
They warned the establishment of dire consequences if their rights were not respected and the alleged attempts of usurping their rights were not stopped. Joint director of PILER, B M Kutty, while initiating the debate, maintained that ever since the creation of Pakistan, the question of the rights of the provinces over their resources had plagued inter-provincial relations so much so that the people had to experience the 1971 debacle.
This question needed to be resolved once for all to ensure that the federating units had an equal stake in its overall development, stability and security, he emphasized. This he said, presupposed their being satisfied with the quantum of autonomy they enjoy as constituents of the federation of Pakistan and the safeguards, thereof.
The recent developments in Balochistan, he said, had injected an element of urgency into this situation, inviting a serious national debate on the rights of the federating units over their resources.
He also stressed that while addressing the question of the rights of provinces over their resources, rights of “the people at large” and not just those of the ruling classes, the privileged social and political elite, over these resources, should also be looked into.
Mr Kutty stressed the need for addressing the question of political economy of resources. Tahir Bizenjo of the Balochistan National Party was of the view that prolonged dictatorships were the root cause of the denial of rights to smaller provinces and warned that attempts at resolving political issues through force would be dangerous and detrimental to the territorial integrity of the country.
He was of the view that unrest in Balochistan was the outcome of injustices and pointed out that Punjab should accept equal rights of other federating units. He regretted that smaller provinces were not getting their due share from the divisible pool.
He reiterated reservations and concerns over Gwadar port development project. He warned that if the government ignored those concerns, the Balochs would defend their rights.
Abdul Khaliq Junejo of Jiye Sindh Mahaz accused the government of conspiring to usurp resources and rights of the people of Balochistan and Sindh. He also slammed the government for denying the people of Sindh their due rights.
Hakim Lehri of Balochistan National Congress was concerned mainly at the “perception” that development of Gwadar port was aimed at serving the long-term strategic interests of China.
Mr Abrar Kazi presented the case of Sindh and the problems being faced by the people due to lack of adequate resources. Razik Bugti of Balochistan while dealing with Gwadar port, and cantonments said Sardars wanted share in development.
He alleged that when interests of Sardars were not served, they raise the bogey of nationalism. But once their demands were accepted, everything becomes acceptable.
Ali Hassan Chandio of Taraqi Pasand Party said that Sindh should have control over its oil, gas and other resources. He said the government was not deliberately addressing these issues.
He pointed out that in order to deny Sindh total control over its resources, refinery for the oil extracted in Sindh was established in Punjab. He pointed out that since independence Sindh’s demography had drastically changed and advized the Balochs to learn a lesson from the people of Sindh.