Understanding Balochistan’s importance - A complex issue with
a simple solution, BY YASMEEN AFTAB ALI
The fuss over the prospective economic corridor to be built with Chinese
help is better understood in light of the geographical layout of Gwader, the
benefits and threats it offers and the dynamics of Balochistan. I quote
excerpts from my article published October 1, 2013:
‘Gwadar port, located at the entrance of Strait of Hormuz, offers huge
economic opportunities not only to Pakistan but to others too i.e., the Central
Asian Republics, Middle East, South Asia and the Gulf States. By the very
virtue of this strategic geographical location, it creates a conflict of
interests between nations deeply influenced by its development. Gwadar provides
the shortest possible access for Afghanistan to the Indian Ocean and is the
most cost effective.’
“Fazl-e-Haider in The National, UAE, states,
“The port has the potential to serve as a secure outlet as well as a storage
and transshipment hub for the Middle East and Central Asia oil and gas supplies
through a well-defined corridor passing through Pakistan. Gwadar gives China a
land-based oil supply port that is not controlled by superior US naval power.
Gwadar port, through the proposed energy and trade corridors, gives western
China access to the sea. Crude oil imports from Iran, the Arab Gulf states and
Africa could be transported overland to north-west China through the port.”
(October 7, 2012)
“In my opinion, militarily, Gwadar will offer an immediate strategic
advantage to Pakistan in case of any future armed conflict by not being held
hostage to Karachi. It also compliments China’s ‘String of Pearls’ strategy
offering maritime access points to Chinese navy within the area of Indian
Ocean. India feels most threatened by Gwadar agreement between China and
Pakistan, writes Farooq Yousuf in a national local daily. “Among its
critics, India is the most prominent that raised concerns over Gwadar agreement
calling it a threat to India’s maritime security. Indian military analysts are
of the opinion that the port’s only objective for China is to encircle India in
the sea through the famously known concept of String of Pearls, or
the Chinese ally ports encircling India. Such concerns apparently are
exaggerated and uncalled for as, first, Pakistan is in need of an economic push
to save its dwindling economy. Moreover, Pakistan has rarely expressed concerns
on India purchasing state of the art weaponry from its friends, such as
Israel.” (February 22, 2013)
“The view by Robert D Kaplan, a world renowned journalist,
is forthright, “The world’s “busiest and most important interstate, is the
Indian Ocean, with 50 per cent of all container traffic and 70 per cent of all
petroleum traffic traversing its waters. It is this region — with China and
India jockeying for dominance, the United States trying to maintain its
influence and unstable regimes threatening the flow of resources — that will be
the setting for most of the global conflicts in the coming decades.” (New
York Post, October 2010) India, on heels of the MoU signed between
Pakistan and China has gone ahead to sign a port deal with Iran. The cargo
terminal at Chahbahar, will give India a better chance to embed herself in
Afghanistan, as well as offering an alternate route to land locked Afghanistan
presently very much reliant upon Pakistan for this. India has ignored in their
haste, tripping over their shoelaces to get the deal cut, dried and in the bag,
warning by the US before final nuclear terms be settled with Tehran.
“Therefore, with China’s commitment to invest another $1.62 billion for
development of Gwadar with an aim to connect Gwadar to Xinjiang thereby acting
as a corridor for China’s Maritime Silk Route that is going to link up many
countries, some of them currently landlocked as a part of this project, is not
sitting well with those who rule the roost presently.”
The stakes are high and upsetting of the apple cart will hurt many. Mian
Abrar, in his recent op-ed in Pakistan Today points
out; “Balochistan has once again come under media spotlight. However, the
timing of the media focus returning to Balochistan is not only significant but
its nature has also changed. With landmark agreements signed between China and
Pakistan for investment of $46 billion in Pakistan, the Balochistan problem is
resurfacing — suggesting that something has been cooking elsewhere. The
sequence of the recent events also suggests that the brutal murder of the civil
society activist Sabeen Mahmud has something to do with these developments.”
(May 2, 2015)
If one recalls, a report released to the parliamentarians sometime in
early December 2010, by former Director General Military Operations Ahmed Shuja
Pasha, shared that Russia and India were also involved in the insurgency in
Balochistan. Pasha had shared the presence of nine training camps dotting the
Afghan border for the training of members of BLA. “He also claimed, “India and
the UAE (reportedly due to opposition to construction of the Gwadar port) were
funding and arming the Baloch. Pasha also claimed that the Russian government
was directly involved in funding/training/supporting the insurgency.”
(Newspaper report published December 3, 2010) The mention of UAE is interesting
as Dubai Port’s strategic interests may be hurt with a fully functional Gwadar
Port.
To jog a few memories here, US Congressman Dana Rohrabacher had
tabled a resolution in the House of Representatives that called upon Pakistan
to accept the right of Baloch self-determination. This was followed a week
later of chairing a Congressional Meeting on Balochistan, and reported in local
newspapers on February 18th, 2012.
To get a bigger picture, situation in Balochistan must be analysed. I
quote Khan Zia from his latest piece, ‘Balochistan – facts and fiction’, “Any
claim that these few individuals represent the desires and aspirations of all
the people of Balochistan is manifestly mischievous. Ethnic Balochis are in a
minority in the province itself. In a total population of around eight million,
their number is about three million, divided among eighty-two or so tribes. Out
of these only parts of three tribes are active in revolt. Economic development
depends upon a host of factors that include the starting base, existing
infrastructure, environmental conditions that can support concentrations of
population, availability of trained workforce, managerial talent, state of
security and recourse to justice, access to education and health institutions,
etc. All of these subjects fall under provincial jurisdiction and the blame for
their unsatisfactory state in Balochistan cannot be laid on rest of the
country. If anything, the per capita share of federal funds is much greater for
Balochistan than any other province.” (The writer is author of ‘Muslims and
the West: A Muslim Perspective’ and ‘Pakistan: Roots,
Perspective and Genesis’)
I completely concur on the provincial nature of the elements quoted,
emotional rhetoric by some notwithstanding.
The government plans to make Gwadar a free port thereby exempt from
excise duty. One need to be reminded here that the Jabal Ali Port in Dubai is
also a free port. The completion of Gwadar Port will be an economic elixir not
only for the country but also for Balochistan that will provide jobs for the
locals thereby improving their economic condition.
Any government that actively seeks to complete the Gwadar project and
achieves the goal can look forward to another five years in office, with ease.
Can PML-N deliver?
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