Balochistan is a region that spans across parts of Iran, Afghanistan and is currently Pakistan’s largest and most resource-rich yet least developed region. Though meaning “Land of Baloch”, Balochistan barely even belongs to its major ethnicity. It rather belongs to that of looters than its dwellers.
Be it Balochistan or the other provinces of Pakistan, all have endured the ordeal of loot and corruption. But Balochistan has been the most affected by the barbarity of corruption. The exploitation of national wealth of this province by its own rulers and the federal government is one of the major issues that Balochistan has been facing since it disputed allegiance with Pakistan in 1948.
Given the natural resources and geographical importance, the province should have been one of most developed and economically stable provinces in the modern world but, unfortunately, it lacks the fundamental facilities even poor African nations have. The incompetence and corruptness of our own rulers and the exploitation of our national wealth by each central government has been the root cause of the devastating status quo of the province that constitutes almost half of Pakistan. In this modern era of development and prosperity, the people of Baluchistan are still living in the Dark Ages, have the lowest standard of living and are starving to death. Literacy rate is abysmal and the human development index is lower of the least developed African Nations.
Some of the far flung districts are like those of the chapters that are left untouched during exam preparations, no one knows even that they exist on the map of Balochistan. Awaran, the third largest district, is the least developed district of Pakistan and lags far behind in various aspects of modern life. No education, no electricity, not even a single highway is available. So what….. No one cares! Be it provincial or federal government, all we can expect from them is corruption and exploitation of our national wealth.
Fortunately, Balochistan has been blessed with more than enough natural resources that if half of the resources were to be used for the development, Balochistan would be the most prosperous region not only in Pakistan, but pobably in the whole world. But, as long as corruption and the centre’s unwillingness to grant the province its legitimate rights exist as a hurdle, these resources are useless.
The Sui Gas Field is the largest natural gas field in Pakistan with 1.6 trillion cubic feet reserves estimated as of 2017. Discovered in 1952, the gas began to be supplied to different parts of Pakistan by 1955. Surprisingly, the first provinces to receive the gas were Sind and Punjab, not Balochistan. Even Sui town is deprived of its own gas and its people are forced to collect wood. Even Quetta, the capital, received gas in 1970. Decades have passed since the gas discovery, nut only 14 towns of Balochistan have access, which clearly goes against the constitution of Pakistan which says in Article 158,”The province in which a well-head of natural gas is situated shall have precedence over other parts of Pakistan in meeting the requirements from the well-head, subject to the commitments and obligations as on the commencing day.” According to this, Balochistan should have been prioritised over other provinces for gas distribution but, sadly, the centre preferred the inverse. According to the Pakistan Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, Balochistan currently produces 17 percent, but consumes only seven percent of the total national gas supply. And some ridiculous excuses were made that due to the rough terrain of Balochistan, it’s not possible for all Balochistan to receive gas. But even the remotest areas of Punjab, thousands of miles away from Sui, could benefit.
Corruption has spread like a wildfire in Balochistan, and if it is not curbed, we shall have to pay heavily. Corruption aside, the centre’s exploitation of natural resources and its unwillingness to provide Balochistan with its legitimate share is another major hindrance in Balochistan’s path towards a better future.
The Reko Diq mine, near Reko Diq town in Chagai District, is one of the largest copper and gold mines in the world. It represents one of the largest copper and gold reserves in the world, having estimated reserves of 5.9 billion tonnes of ore grading 0.41 percent copper and gold reserves amounting to 41.5 million oz. Nonetheless, it also fell prey to the centre’s exploitation. The federal government had promised to transfer 20 percent shares in the Saindak Project to the province after 2012, but it has extended the lease agreement with the Chinese company without consulting the provincial government.
In lieu of the common people of Balochistan, foreign companies and the federal government have jointly looted these natural resources. Chagai’s fate, like Sui’s, could not be changed even after such a huge discovery and the people of the district remain hapless and frustrated.
In the south east, Lasbela District oil refinery was constructed in 2014, capable of processing 120,000 barrels of oil. Furthermore, a power station adjacent to the refinery produces 1350 MW of power. Several cement plants and marble factories are located as is one of the world largest shipbreaking yards, on the Lasbela coast. But no one knows where these benefits go. Lasbela district faces some major and intractable issues with infrastructure being the worst. Water scarcity, no electricity, no roads and having the lowest standard of living. Despite being the hub of economic activities, the district is worsening with each passing day, let alone developing.
Nowadays, Gwadar constantly remains in the limelight. “The upcoming hub of economic activities, the soon-to-be Dubai of Pakistan, The door to prosperity for Balochistan” is what politicians echo in their interviews.
The China–Pakistan Economic Corridor is a collection of infrastructure projects that have been under construction throughout Pakistan since 2013. Originally valued at $47 billion, the value of CPEC projects is $62 billion as of 2020. CPEC is considered a game-changer for Balochistan which will lead to new heights of prosperity and development.
Unfortunately, since the inception of CPEC Balochistan has been further deprived of its rights. It rather seems a trap to change the demography of a Baloch-majority region. CPEC has worsened the status quo and strengthened the sense of deprivation.
We’ve seen and appreciated the marine drive, but we closed our eyes when people of Gwadar took the streets protesting against the authorities to get them clean drinking water. We’ve seen the picturesque cricket stadium, and celebrities taking selfies to post on social media, but we have been heedless towards the sufferings of those unemployed youth of Gwadar who lack resources to make both ends meet. Gwadar faces acute water scarcity, electric issues, unemployment, infrastructural problems, illiteracy. But the authorities willingly never paid attention to these issues. If projects like Sui Gas and Saindak could not change our fate, how can we expect CPEC to?
Balochistan covers almost half of Pakistan’s total landmass but its average road density is just 0.16 as compared to 0.32 of the national average. The province continues to face acute water scarcity with water shortage and recurrent water droughts threatening the region’s economy which relies on agriculture. Balochistan is the least developed province in terms of the Human Development Index (HDI), with the lowest HDI score of 0.421 as compared to Punjab’s 0.732. According to official reports, 71 percent of Baloch were living in multidimensional poverty, compared to 31 percent in Punjab. Balochistan’s unemployment rate was 33.4 percent as against 19.1 percent in Punjab.
As many as 92 percent of Balochistan’s districts are categorized as highly deprived. District Dera Bugti, where natural gas was discovered, has the lowest HDI in Pakistan. Balochistan has the country’s lowest
literacy rate (43 percent), including the least net enrolment rate for primary schools.
Infant and maternal mortality rates in Balochistan are the highest in South Asia and its people are succumbing to curable diseases like typhoid, cholera, hepatitis. Although Balochistan makes up 44 percent of Pakistan’s total landmass, it has only 17 members out of a total 342 in the Pak National Assembly. The overall share of Balochistan in CPEC is only 4.5 percent and if the Gwadar port, airport and Hubco projects are excluded then total provincial share is reduced to a meagre one percent.
It’s all happening because corruption has taken roots in Balochistan and to uproot this menace needs revolutionary actions. Corruption has spread like a wildfire in Balochistan, and if it is not curbed, we shall have to pay heavily. Corruption aside, the centre’s exploitation of natural resources and its unwillingness to provide Balochistan with its legitimate share is another major hindrance in Balochistan’s path towards a better future. Seventy years have passed but this issue is still kept pending. It’s important to note that until these two issues are solved, neither Balochistan nor Pakistan can strive for a successful, developed and economically sustained future, but rather a dark future awaits us.
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