News Analysis |
In an interesting development, Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that he is well aware of the problems being faced by the people of Baluchistan and all possible efforts will be made to resolve their issues. PM was reportedly talking to Deputy Speaker of National Assembly (NA) Muhammad Qasim Khan Suri and MNA Mohtarma Munawara Bibi Baloch, who had called on him at the PM Office on Tuesday, January 8th.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Naeemul Haq, Malik Muhammad Aamir Dogar and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Arshad Dad were also present in the meeting. They discussed development projects, the supply of drinking water, and unemployment issues of people of Baluchistan.
It is important to mention here that the people of Baluchistan often complain that their rights are not being given to them.
It is important to mention here that the people of Baluchistan often complain that their rights are not being given to them. Akhtar Mengal, an ally of PTI, supported the ruling coalition only on the condition if the government will address the grievances of the people of Baluchistan. PTI’s chairman has always remained a staunch supporter of Baloch rights and stoop up for them.
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As a matter of fact, there is an ongoing insurgency in Baluchistan where India and Afghanistan are playing their role to exploit identity fault lines to urge the natives to stand up against Pakistan. Kulbushan Yadav, an Indian spy, has admitted that his role was to help out the separatists in Baluchistan to destabilize Pakistan. Governments’ negligence to understand and address the problems of common Baloch helped the separatists to convince more and more people to get their support.
PTI’s chairman has always remained a staunch supporter of Baloch rights and stoop up for them.
The present government seems to be serious on the issue of Baluchistan. Analysts expect that PM Khan will devise a comprehensive policy in order to address the problems being faced by the people of Baluchistan. Once the government of Pakistan properly deals with the serious challenges of poverty and illiteracy in the province, it is likely to be a normal federating unit of Pakistan.
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Experts fear that if the government fails to realize the gravity of the matter and does not listen to the people of a marginalized province, it will be a formidable challenge for Pakistan in the years to come. Dr. Rehana Saeed Hashmi, Associate Professor of Political Science at Punjab University, has argued in her research that the state of Pakistan needs to understand the nature of ethnic politics in the country where groups feel a sense of internal colonization.
She further argues that if such ethnic movements are not addressed immediately foreign enemies hijack them and start exploiting them to a great extent. Therefore, PM Khan is expected to be aware of all the ground realities in order to give due rights to the people of Baluchistan.