Naseebullah khan
Despite a huge strategic importance and richness of natural resources, Balochistan is still presenting as if it,s people are living in the stone Ages. Even, in this modern and technologically, and advanced age ___ most areas of Balochistan are deprived of gas, electricity, pure drinking water, hospitals, roads, schools, sanitation, and other basic necessities. The province having 770 kms of coastline with innumerable resources of billions of Rupees, is in dire straits where the poverty rate is 71% which is highest in the country, Unemployment is again highest in the country with a rate of 9. 4%. More than 95% of the houses in the province do not have access to gas. While, 85% does not have access to clean drinking water. The recent dearth of pure drinking water in Dera Bugti which is one of the biggest reproducing districs, is pathetic where human being and animals quench theri thirst from ponds, owing to which hundreds of dwellers have been facing diarrhea and have been admitted in hospitals. Ironically, 1.9 million children are out of school whilst literacy rate is the lowest in the country that stands at 44%. The destruction does not stop here to education sector alone. The devastation of health sector is reminiscent of the Stone Age where there is only one doctor available for a population of 3,000 that reflects how the situation of hospitals and facilities will be. In addition, 52 percent of children are malnourished, while it,s score in human development index is 0.47, which is the lowest rate in the country. Admittedly, federal government has spared no effort to plunder our resources. It is true that Article 172 (3) is not being implemented in its true spirit. But, can we exonerate ourselves from our due responsibilities owing to this maltreatment of the federal government? Didn’t our rulers keep their people in the dark? Aren’t the people of Balochistan suffering the consequences of prejudice and personal obstinacy? Isn’t it a fact that billions of rupees of development budget anually have been allocated for bricks and mortar projects instead of basic amenities schemes? The CPEC, which could brought revolution in changing the state of distress in the province___whose heart is Balochistan that provides 62% corridor to the project, whereas, on the flip side, its share in the province is equal to none. According to Chief Minister Jam Kamal, only 5% of total investment of the CPEC is being spent in Balochistan. Have our leaders dared to raise this issue in major forums? Unfortunately, the way Balochistan has been ignored by the federation in the CPEC, is an unforgivable crime in which our provincial representatives are equally responsible for. They were either in deep slumber or had zipped their lips for their vested interests. The lust for power has exposed and defaced more or less all our representatives. Sadly, the current provincial rulers have broken all records of mismanagement, personal prejudice, and vested interests. The rising political unrest, their reluctance to raise employees’ salaries, the use of force against the salaried class during their peaceful protest, the purchase of helicopters and expensive cars for themselves, nepotism where a cars government squad for the incumbant chief minister son,s tourist activities has been with patrolling with the prince, the hide and seek of power struggle in the province, daily blackmailing tacts of allies, and corruption have exposed the negligence and incompetence of this government. In the mindst of these immature behaviours the problems of the province remain unsolved. The merciless attitude of the federal governments is shamless. But our ineptitude, vested interests, lust, personal obstinacy, and mismanagement have put this province at a devestated position. Unless our own leadership is sincere, until then, the province will continue to be mired in ruin and destruction.