Naseebullah Khan
Ecmomic meltdown, deteriorated agriculture and livestock sectors, slow justice system, pathetic education system, sorry state of affairs of healthcare, water scarcity, declining Security situation, etc prove that Balochistan is the victim of bad governance. At current, 52 percent children are stunted in Balochistan while 49 percent women are malnourished. Only 1 docter is available for a population of 3000 wheareas only 1 bed is available for 1577 patients. In addition, maternal mortality rate in the province is 98/100000. The education system of the province shows a horrible scenario. The Illiteracy rate in the province is 56 percent where 2.3 million children are out of schools. There is no electricity in 79 percent of schools while the shortage of schools is around 5000 including the dearth of 27000 teachers. With a population of 12.3 million there are only 104 colleges for both male and females while there is only 9 universities in the province in which only one university is for women. After the 18th amendment, every province had to establish its own higher education commission but, in Balochistan, it is still missing. Administratiively, there is a huge issue of governance as an example Rs 40 billion were lapsed in 2021_21 budget. Many projects in the province take years in completion which further become a huge burdon on the economy that reflect that how institutional incapacity is eating the province. Apart from this, the issuence of forged domiciles has put a question mark upon the capacity of administration in the province. Last year the Transparency international also wrote to Jam Kamal,s Government about the violation of PPRA rules 49 in a tender of Rs 500 million for purchasing Covid 19 vaccines. Whereas, bad dealing of the Rekodiq proved to be a serious blow to both federal and provincial governments. With respect to Town planing, the governing system is declining. Roads are constructed but are ruined in a couple of years. Regrettably, building codes and rules are not followed truly. Pakistan building code 2007 says that a 2 lane street must be 24 feet each. When it comes to Balochistan, the scenario is abysmal. The pavements, the encroachments, and the disposal of waste has no proper system in the province.Rules such as environmental rules, driving rules, Balochistan essential protection Moter vehicles rules 2020, Balochistan environmental quality standereds for disposal of waste rules, etc. are remained to papers only. Apart from this, corruption is at its peak as an example billions of rupees were confiscated from the house of the ex secretary of Finance Mushtaq Raisani.These succeeding indicators reflect how bad the governance system in the province is. For instance, the HDI index is 0.47. Poverty rate in the province is 71 percent, Unemployment rate is 4.09 percent, the population of the Youth is 50 percent but due lack skill, their energies are wasted. Water scarcity and climate change are engulfing the people. Where there is drought in 29 districts of the province. In May 2021, as per a report of Global network of food crisis, 30 percent of the households in Balochistan were facing acute food shortage. Agriculture has ruined owing to scarcity of water and floods where 15000 hecters of land is devestaed due to erosion and waterlogged__ that has further affected the livestock sector that is a main source of livelihood of the people living in rural areas. There is no gas facility in 95 percent of the province while as per a report of the NEPRA, there is no electricity in 2/3 households. While, the killer highways have killed the people more then those who were killed in terrorism. Cases pending in high court are 4663, while a total of 15729 cases are pending in district judiciary. The situation in the Coal mines reflects as if the miners are living in mediveal ages. Owing to lack of facilities in the mines 160 miners died in 2020. In the current era of technology there is no scientific methods, Ventilation system and safety measures in Mines. at one side, the economy of the province is declining on the other side, the authorities are short of utilizing its economic potential. Balochistan has a potential to generate 100 billion USD from its blue economy but it is earning 450 million only. Unfortunately, thee priorities of the provincial government can be guaged from the budget allocation of 2021__22 according to which the share of agriculture was 5.5 percent, 1.1 was reserved for livestock, 0.6 for Fisheries, 0.6 for industries, 0.70 for mines and minerals, 2.7 for power sector, and 60 percent for Bricks and Mortar projects. Only a robust governing system can turn the dark pages of the deteriorating health, education, economic, judicial, agricultural, environmental, etc situations of the province___ without which the dream of a success, prosperity, and progress of the province will remain a dream.
