Pakistan PM ready to talk to Baloch nationalists, resolve grievances

Islamabad: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that his government is considering talks with Baloch nationalists to resolve the long-standing grievances of the people of Balochistan.

“I am thinking we should talk to them [insurgents and nationalists]. It is possible that they have old grievances, and they were exploited by other countries … ” Khan said, addressing a gathering of tribal elders, students and businessmen during a one-day visit to Gwadar city.

Balochistan rich in natural resources

* Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest but most sparsely populated province – home to 12.3 million people. * Despite being rich in natural gas, coal, metals and minerals, the prov-ince has long remained underdeveloped. * Although some militant groups have carried out brutal attacks against Pakistan’s security forces and local people in the last months, the insurgency movement, which the military says is largely funded by enemy states, is in decline. * The resentment emerged from several factors including long-standing grievances such as economic exploitation of Balochistan’s natural resources, lack of provincial autonomy, and poor governance. * Experts have insisted that the central government must address the immediate needs of the people, hold dialogue with Baloch Sardars (leaders) and integrate the local peo-ple into mainstream society by offering equal employment, education and other oppor-tunities particularly to the young people.

He said insurgencies would not have escalated if the previous governments had paid attention to Balochistan and addressed the grievances of the people. The federal government did not do justice and neither did the politicians of the province and “the money that was supposed to be spent on the development was consumed by the politicians”, he said.

Imran Khan said his government has launched a huge development package to Balochistan despite the economic woes in the country to mitigate the sense of deprivation and ensure the provision of basic facilities to the people of Pakistan’s largest but least populated province.

Reached out to youth

Pakistan’s federal government has also plans to reach out to isolated and alienated young people to bring them back into mainstream society by offering them study and work opportunities.

Khan announced Ehsaas scholarships for 4,698 young people of the province and to offer 3G and 4G connectivity across the province to create online jobs for both men and women. A day earlier, the premier launched phase two of Gwadar Free Zone, expo centre, agriculture industrial park, three factories, desalination plant and solar power project under the $62 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Gwadar.

The government has allocated Rs10 billion for Kamyab Jawan programme (successful youth project) in Balochistan of which Rs5b had been spent on upgrading fishing boats and other equipment. The government has also imposed a complete ban on the entry of all foreign fishing trawlers into Pakistan’s waters to protect the livelihood of local fishermen.

On Tuesday, Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry said that the government is working on a plan to initiate negotiations with disgruntled people and nationalists in Balochistan. But the criteria would be different for those who were involved in terrorism ..,” he clarified. Imran Khan government is pursuing policies to make Balochistan a “hub of peace” and development. The port city of Gwadar in Balochistan is described as Pakistan’s rising investment destination and jewel in CPEC’s crown that would open up new opportunities for the economic development in the country as well as the whole region.

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