Balochistan: Pakistani PM Concedes “Trust Deficit” Exists
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani announced practical measures to end injustices against Baloch people.
Below is an article published by the Daily Times:
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Monday [7 June 2010] conceded that there was a trust deficit between the federal government and the Baloch people and that his government was trying to bridge it with concrete measures.
Addressing a news conference at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Monday, the PM said there has been a sense of mistrust between the two sides for the past 63 years, which could not be addressed overnight. He said he was trying to restore the confidence of the Baloch people by addressing mistreatment to them in the past.
“We believe in practical measures and not mere words,” he said. “We want to end all the injustices of the past by adopting practical measures.”
Regarding the missing persons, Gilani said they would be traced soon, adding he had asked the provincial government to prepare an authentic list of the missing persons in order to take concrete measures. On unemployment in the province, the PM said 5,000 jobless candidates from Balochistan would get their appointment letters in the next few weeks. He said the federal government would recruit around 5,400 unemployed people from Balochistan for government departments. He added that the government intends to provide 20,000 jobs to educated youth in Balochistan.
Referring to the Aaghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan, he said it was the beginning and not the end. He said the government had already abolished the concurrent list of the constitution and handed over powers to the provinces. He said additional revenue from natural gas and royalty on sui gas had also been ensured to Balochistan under the National Finance Commission Award. To another question, Gilani said the law and order situation in Balochistan was a provincial subject, adding that the federal government would provide all assistance sought by the provincial government in this regard.
Note:
The Aaghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan is a 39-point plan initiated by the Pakistan Parliament covering constitutional, political administrative, and economic fields.
