Ethnic Nationalistic Movements in Paksitan
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Ethnic Nationalistic Movements in Paksitan Security Challenges for Pakistan in the 21st Century 1st- 30th October, 2015 NUST Research Team NUST Research Team Monthly Background Paper 1st -30th Oct, 2015 Table of Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 3 1. Abstract ..................................................................................................................................... 3 Ethnic Nationalist Movements in Pakistan: A Historical Context............................................................... 4 2. Understanding Ethnic Nationalism at the Roots ...................................................................... 7 Ethnic Nationalist Movements in Pakistan: The Current Situation ............................................................ 8 3. Balochistan with Reference to Developmental Projects: ......................................................... 9 4. Balochistan with Reference to Human Rights Violations: ..................................................... 11 5. Balochistan in Reference to Regional Politics: ....................................................................... 12 Ethnic Nationalist Movements in Pakistan: Policy Recommendations and a Way Forward ..................... 13 Works Cited ........................................................................................................................................... 16 2 NUST Research Team Monthly Background Paper 1st -30th Oct, 2015 Introduction Abstract A strategic shift from focusing on spending a disproportionate amount of effort in curing the symptoms to identifying and eliminating the root causes is required to quell separatist movements emerging from Balochistan. Literature attributes the mobilization of these movements to reasons like the right of people to seek and achieve collective self-determination, self-defense and to redress past injustices. For the purpose of this paper, we maintain that Pakistan has faced and continues to face opposition from ethnic nationalist movements. The main areas of contention are identified as over-centralization of the Pakistani state and its reluctance to grant political autonomy to the provinces, lack of share in the natural resources extracted from Balochistan, deploring security situation and the lack of share in the health and education sector in the province. This paper suggests that the government after consultation with all stakeholders develops a comprehensive a vision for the province, undertakes initiatives to ensure that Balochis are given a due share in the developmental projects, empower the local regulatory bodies and investigate the missing person case, develops strong linkages with Iran and use political diplomacy and dialogue to solve the security crisis and establish a complaint centre led by political leader to overcome the trust deficit and re-new the state’s relationship with the people of Balochistan. 3 NUST Research Team Monthly Background Paper 1st -30th Oct, 2015 Ethnic Nationalist Movements in Pakistan: A Historical Context Pakistan is a federation where provinces have been given a certain degree of autonomy. Principally, the level of autonomy given to each province is sufficient in guaranteeing the preservation of diversity and culture of that area so that its people may freely practice their traditions etc. Unfortunately, in reality the implementation of policies granting any province greater power has been hindered due to numerous different factors that vary from one situation to the next. Broadly, it can be said that Pakistan has, in its short history, seen the rise of political elements demanding greater political power, a confederation with only residual powers for the center or even complete independence from the state of Pakistan. These elements have raised grievance against the dominant center with regards to the lack of provincial rights, regional autonomy and mostly the right of self-determination of these ethnicities. It must also be noted that none of these political elements have risen from the province of Punjab. Some of the prominent ethnic nationalist movements in Pakistan include the Bengali Nationalist Movement, the Sundhu Desh, the (now defunct) Greater Pakhtunistan Movement and the various forms of Baloch nationalism. The Bengali Nationalist Movement, spearheaded by Sheikh Mujeeb Ur Rehman led to the creation of present day Bangladesh and marked a significant failure in Pakistani governance. Inspired by the creation of Bangladesh, the Sindhu Desh movement was a separatist movement aiming towards creating a separate state altogether. The support for this movement however is not a threat currently as from eight pro-separation parties, not a single one has ever been voted into power in Sindh. The Greater Pakhtunistan/Afghanistan movement was aimed at creating the new state of “Pashtunistan” inclusive of geographical areas from Pakistan and Afghanistan. The movement was to seek liberation from both these countries and exist independently. For the reasons that the above movements are not presently a direct threat, this paper will be centered on the unrest in Balochistan and the extent to which the center has faced different opposition from the province. Despite being the largest province of Pakistan by area (covering 43% of the country’s total area), it is home to only 5% of the total population and has been fairly underdeveloped. It caters to 40% of Pakistan’s energy requirements yet only 13 out of 32 District Headquarters of Balochistan are facilitated by natural gas. Whereas, Punjab consumes 43% of total natural gas in Pakistan whilst supplying only 4% (Firdous, 2014). Balochistan has a 6% 4 NUST Research Team Monthly Background Paper 1st -30th Oct, 2015 literacy rate and a 0.7% share in industrialization. It lacks skilled labor, technical schools or colleges or any substantial infrastructure to educate and equip its people for joining the skilled job market (Grare, 2006). This leaves the Balochis with a per capita income of $54 which is 60% that of Punjab’s. Out of 830 senior civil servants, only 181 were Baloch (Khan, 2003). The reasons why these numbers are crucial is because they substantiate the level of exclusion felt by the Balochis on a provincial level. This treatment from the center is reflective of the federal government’s approach towards Bengal which eventually resulted in the separation of East Pakistan. In order for Pakistan to move forward with any semblance of stability as a nation, it must neutralize the situation in Balochistan or risk another secession. However, comprehension of the Balochi unrest must be studied in its historical context to better understand the root of their grievances. Under British rule, Balochistan was annexed and separated from Iran Balochistan when tribal attacks began threatening their safe corridor from Sindh to Afghanistan. The Khannate was reestablished but the Khan of Kalat was forced into subordination to the British Empire. Nonetheless, Balochistan was administered separately under what was termed the Sandeman administration. This was a type of indirect rule by a political agent of the governor general. The region was allowed to manage its day to day affairs on its own but was to consult the British officials in matters of importance. This granted the Balochis a certain degree of independence and guaranteed the British safe passage to Iran and Afghanistan, serving their strategic interests (Khan, 2003). Baloch nationalism first emerged in 1929 and quickly turned into an armed mutiny. The fragmented nature of the region was not ideal for a united resistance against the empire; nonetheless, sporadic efforts of resistance have been continuously recorded. In 1947, Balochistan was forcefully annexed into Pakistan and in the absence of a legislative assembly at the time, was brought directly under the rule of the governor general. For 23 years, Balochistan was brought under the rule of non-Baloch and therefore, it was of particular significance to the province provincial elections were held and NAP came into power (Khan, 2003). NAP felt it crucial to redress previous injustices done to the province. This eventually led to the 1973-77 insurgency. 5 NUST Research Team Monthly Background Paper 1st -30th Oct, 2015 It must be realized that Islamabad had come into conflict with Balochistan previously on three occasions i.e. in 1948, 1958 and 1962 but that the conflict of 1973 was a guerrilla movement that led to an armed clash between 55,000 tribesmen and 70,000 Pakistani troops, ravaging the province. The reasons for opposition to the Pakistani center was built up over years and was triggered due to unconstitutional deviance by the Bhutto government after the 1970 elections (Grare, 2006). Grare attributes the rise of Baloch resistence to the center to three main factors; expropriation, marginalization and dispossession. There lay a massive trust deficit between the Baloch and the federal center that stemmed from the lack of inclusiveness of Balochis in central affairs (or even provincial decisions) as well as the continuous failure of the government to bring the province on a level playing field equal to that of the other provinces. Baloch nationalism was spearheaded by three main tribal chiefs i.e. Akbar Bugti, Ataullah Mengal and Khair Bux Marri. Despite differences in their political ideologies, the three tribal chiefs gave a united defense. This is reflective