Give Baloch their due share
Jinnah's Ideals
“For what I have stated, you will see that I am only trying to make a beginning in giving the people of Balochistan their due share in the administration and I am affording to them the opportunities to play full part in the shaping of their future administration and advancing the welfare of the people generally. For instance, all plans for the future political, economic, social and educational development of the Province will be prepared and submitted through the Advisory Council and it will be for the Governor-General to see that these plans are implemented with consultation and advice of the Council. Thus gentlemen, in some ways you will be better off than the other provinces of Pakistan. Here you will have in fact, a Governor-Generals’ province and you will become my special responsibility and care and let me assure you, in the sphere of the activities of the Council the Governor-General will adopt such measures as may be necessary in consultation with his Advisory Council from time to time.”
- Mr. Jinnah / Quaid-e-Azam
- Speech: New Era of Progress for Balochistan
Deeper reflections
Balochistan cannot achieve social and economic progress without political reforms. The legacy administration was impervious to the aspirations of the people and had the province divided up in different parts with different statuses all bound by the shackles of backwardness.
Mr. Jinnah’s freedom struggle won over the people of Balochistan who by their free choice voted for joining the state of Pakistan. The legal, administrative and political arrangements between the Government of Pakistan and the people of Balochistan were established by democratic referendum. All authority is derived from the unmistakable will of the people of Balochistan.
Each of Pakistan’s provinces must enjoy a uniform measure of autonomy and Balochistan, in particular, must have an adequate say in its own administration. To begin and accelerate the work of maximizing Balochistan’s political autonomy, Mr. Jinnah had set up an Advisory Council which directly and closely collaborated with the premier of the country. This council consisted of acknowledged representatives of Balochistan and the council had real powers of reviewing and scrutinizing existing policies, modifying provincial budgets, and recommending its own proposals for the welfare of the people of Balochistan.
Following this historic governance model, the implementation of the schemes, designs, proposals and policy by Balochistan’s Advisory Council becomes the special responsibility of the premier of Pakistan. This arrangement is required because Balochistan is a deficit province and, unfortunately, largely inconsequential in winning elections despite being Pakistan's largest land-mass. The province has to be the premier’s special responsibility to balance the scales and provide ample avenues for Balochistan to develop and prosper.
Our history instructs us that Balochistan will enjoy a special status, and as we reflect on our existing conditions, the national conscience is deeply stirred, have we collectively strived for Balochistan's progress and energetically worked for achieving our historic ideals? Have we done justice to Mr. Jinnah’s struggle? Are death squads, extrajudicial executions and forced disappearances in Balochistan the legacy of our national freedom movement?
In response to these questions, the citizens of Pakistan become fully aware and conscious of their national mission of achieving a uniform measure of autonomy for all provinces, defeating provincialism and unifying all people within Pakistan for rapid economic, social, political and educational progress of Balochistan.
We will create the spirit, enthusiasm and discipline to strive for Balochistan’s progress.
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