Ownership
Jinnah's Ideals
“The final constitution, as you all know, will be framed by the Constituent Assembly in consultation with the representatives of all these areas. Nor did I forget, in the meantime, while making these temporary arrangements, my earnest desire to associate the people of Balochistan with their own administration as far as possible. In fact, it was in the fulfillment of this desire that I decided to attend your first Durbar so that I may get the opportunity of meeting you and exchanging views with you to ascertain the ideas which you may have formed about the future form of Government for your Province. The Constituent Assembly may take some time to accomplish its task of framing the final constitution of our State. It is a stupendous task and it may take 18 months or two years before it can come into full operation. And so, I wanted something to be done without delay for the period between now and the time when the new constitution would finally emerge and be inaugurated, something would enable the people to share the responsibilities of their Government and give them a voice in its administration. After very careful consideration I have decided to make a small but all the same an important move immediately to enable the people to associate themselves with the governance of their province. I hope that this will bring the citizens of Pakistan living in Balochistan closer to the Governor-General and the head of your administration. I had to think hard. There were legal and constitutional difficulties in the way of setting up a representative form of Government. But there was no time to waste. I did not want to wait for the requisite legal and statutory provisions to be enacted in their full form. All that will naturally come in time. For the present, however, I have concluded that our immediate object can best be achieved by making the governance and administration of Balochistan more directly the concern of the Governor-General himself acting in close collaboration with the acknowledged representatives of the people. For this purpose, I have decided to constitute a Governor-General's Advisory Council, a body which will enable the people to play their full part in the administration and governance of their Province, and which will enable me as Governor-General to keep a close watch over the affairs of Baluchistan and to make the problems of the people of this great Province my own special care as I am bound to do under the present provisional constitution of Pakistan.”
- Mr. Jinnah / Quaid-e-Azam
- Speech: New Era of Progress for Balochistan
- Context: Speech at Sibi Durbar
Deeper reflections
National progress is impossible without the development of Balochistan. The brave and intelligent Baloch people need to be structurally set-up in ways that maximizes their civic engagement, democratic participation and closer contact with the premier of the country.
Human capital development is key for Balochistan’s socio-economic development. Empowered and educated Baloch people are the best ingredient and catalyst for the province’s progress. Our focus and attention will be on promoting progressive ideas, scientific thinking and holistic education that focuses both on technology and liberal arts. Enabling Baloch people necessarily requires proliferating education, improving healthcare and creating jobs to build a spirit of self-agency and self-reliance.
We will achieve greater solidarity between Islamabad and Balochistan and effectively design policy, pass forward-thinking legislation and mobilize the nation to work towards the economic, social, educational and political uplift of the people of Balochistan.
The Citizens of Pakistan, with the help from Providence, will ensure that Mr. Jinnah’s efforts to secure Balochistan’s freedom and progress have not be in vain.
Read This Next
Mr. Jinnah's promise to Balochistan for joining Pakistan was based on educational, social, economic and political uplift.
All Reads on This Topic