The nine-month-old crisis in Balochistan that nearly came to aboil has been defused. This is however only the beginning of what has to be a systematic and credible process to manage center-province relations generally and center-Balochistan relations specifically.
Interestingly, of the many contrasting facts that underscored the complexity of the Balochistan crisis ten were noteworthy. One, instead of dividing the parties further, the aggravating crisis forced renewed vigor to Islamabad’s re-engagement with the Balochistan crisis.
Two, while play of force became central in the crisis; it also triggered the political dialogue into high gear.
Three, even if the army believed it could go in and through use of force, actually dislodge the Bugti tribesmen surrounding the FC men, it would prove to be a pyrrhic victory
Four, the geographical area of sabotage continued to spread relentlessly beyond the core conflict area of Sui throughout the Balochistan province.
Five, as the crisis aggravated most political forces recognized the futility of political point scoring. The MMA in the provincial government in fact supported the government’s initiatives at crisis resolution. The three mainstream parties — PPP, MMA and PML-N — took up the government’s offer to visit Dera Bugti to check out the ground facts. Upon return they called for continued dialogue with Sardar Bugti but also commented on the “complexity” of the crisis.
Six, despite his forceful articulation of the Dera Bugti crisis, of Balochistan’s economic deprivation and of the army’s high-handedness, Sardar Akbar Bugti saw no benefit in prolonging the stalemate.
Seven, against the backdrop of an accentuating political crisis, talk of development projects alone was not going to resolve the situation. In some sections within the army there was a realization that confidence building with Bugti through political dialogue was required.
Eight, while the army leadership had realized that the Shujaat Hussain dialogue initiative had to be supported, it was also unyielding when it came to protecting the gas wells and installations under attack in and around Sui.
Nine, amidst the power players was the media of Pakistan that became the “eyes and ears” for the entire nation. The print and electronic media ensured that no one-sided truth would be circulated. It diligently reported concerns and shortcomings of all parties. Most within the media took no sides, painted no heroes or villains.
Ten, in illustrating their maturity, the public and opinion-makers consistently advocated that while rule of law must prevail in Balochistan and in the crisis area of Dera Bugti, the branding of any political or area leader as “an enemy of the state” was unacceptable.
After all the establishment’s past practice of certifying and decertifying politicians as “patriots” and “enemies” has damaged the democratic process. It has also forced political forces to opt for politics of extremes over politics of accommodation.
All these factors therefore did not lend the Balochistan crisis to a quick fix or clever-by-half solutions. The situation called for a process through which the crisis could be defused. The political process did defuse the crisis.
This shows that the center must see the writing on the wall. The old and discredited ways of playing the power game must be jettisoned.
They don’t deliver. In fact under the shadow of unscrupulous power games, often anti-people politics and state power prosper. And, as in the case of Balochistan, precipitate extremely explosive situations.
Given the authority that Musharraf now wields, the grudging cooperation that political forces are willing to extend to him and above all the ongoing crisis of legitimacy and confidence that the unresolved center-province relations create, Musharraf must ensure that the parliamentary committee on inter-provincial matters works on the pattern of the Balochistan Committee to settle all outstanding matters related to provincial autonomy, resource allocation, water sharing, job generation and NFC. For too long these matters have been ignored or handled in an ad hoc manner.
