Pakistan National Assembly

Ahmed Waqqas

Topic area A: Failure of Baluchistan The Balochistan issue has achieved momentum. It is conversed all over the globe. The nationalist leaders of the province are challenging their rights with full force. They argue that nothing has been done for the development of their province during the last 65 years. It was only the lip service of the Federal Government that it would bring the province at par with the other developed provinces of the country. Balochistan is the biggest but poorest province with the thinnest population in which villages are situated hundreds of miles apart. It is barren because no irrigation water is available to it like other provinces where cannels exist and every kind of crop is cultivated. This abundance of water has given their land greenery and fertility. God has compensated barren Balochistan in other ways like natural gas, copper and marble mines and precious stones which are used to beautify the important governments and private buildings in big cities. Akhtar Mengal former Chief Minister Balochistan who was in self exile in the United Kingdom has now come to Pakistan to record his statement in the Supreme Court about the unrest in Balochistan where the law and order situation is the worst. The nationalist forces are demanding complete provincial autonomy. The late Nawab Akbar Bugti had demanded the federal government to retain only three subjects like defense, foreign Affairs and Currency while the rest of them including communication should be handed over to the provinces. Truly speaking the list of the concurrent subjects in spite of the passage of 18th amendment has not been fully transferred to Balochistan. All its sources of income are retained by the federal government which is denying their transfer under one pretext or the other. The province can't work independently in its development programs because it has to take permissions from the federal government. Over centralization of administration at Islamabad does not allow it to work peacefully. The bureaucrats do not like to share their powers with the provinces. They desire that they should implement their decisions. There is hardly any Baloch bureaucrat in Islamabad secretariat who can speak for the development of this province. Payment prevails in it although its natural gas turns the wheels of the industries of other provinces. Therefore, its educated and illiterate people run for jobs to other provinces and Gulf States. The gas has not been fully utilized for the development of the province and its children still shiver with cold in the winter season in the villages which do not have gas connections. The terminology of special package was coined by a government of the past. The government used to declares it immediately for the city or province where it saw unrest and anti-government forces raising their heads. The same is the case with Balochistan where the law and order situations are the worst and the people have started struggle for their rights. The government to calm the people of Balochistan and have announced "Aghaz-e-Huqooq-e-Balochistan" for its development with which they are not satisfied. The electronic and print media of the country bring to the notice of the government the grievances of Balochistan so that it should do something for the development of the most backward province but it does not pay any attention to their suggestions. The Frontier Post is published form Quetta also and it is its moral duty to highlight its grievances. It has been doing this job form the last so may years but the government does not take any action to develop it. The people want ownerships of their gas, copper mines and Gawadar seaport but the government remains silent on these important issues. These all the nationalist leaders have started efforts to achieve them.

Further taking into account the verdict of SC: ISLAMABAD: During Wednesdays hearing of a petition on the law and order situation and human rights violations in Balochistan, the Supreme Court reissued directives for the

submission of the governments report on the matter and adjourned the hearing until Nov 2, DawnNews reported.
A three-judge bench of the apex court, comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja, heard the petition filed by the Balochistan Bar Association on the law and order situation in the province.During the hearing, the bench summoned the Interior Secretary K M Siddiq Akbar to appear before it in 30 minutes time.The bench moreover expressed its displeasure of the failure of the interior secretary to submit a report on the provinces law and order situation. Chief Justice Iftikhar remarked that the issue was serious and warned against its careless handling.The bench directed the deputy attorney general to call the interior secretary along with the report. The deputy attorney general said that Attorney General Irfan Qadir wanted to present his arguments on the matter. Responding to which, the chief justice said that the bench had summoned the report, adding that, the arguments would be heard later. The chief justice moreover remarked that everyone with authority was involved in the violation the Constitution in Balochistan. He further said that if the Constitution was not being implemented in the province then under what authority was the Balochistan government operating. The chief justice then held a short dialogue with Balochistans Additional Advocate General Azam Khattak. Subsequently, Chief Justice Iftikhar directed the Balochistan government to file a response by 11:30 explaining what legal authority it had to govern the province. The court took a short recess after which the hearing resumed around 11:30. Upon resumption, the attorney general told the bench that all, including the court, should operate within their constitutional limitations. Qadir moreover stated that the government would file a review petition against the courts interim order which had stated the provincial government had failed to establish the writ of law and had lost the authority to govern the province in accordance with the Constitution. Responding to which, Justice Khawaja said that filing a review plea was a right. Furthermore, the interior secretary failed to appear before the bench with the additional interior secretary seemingly appearing as a substitute. The bench expressed its displeasure on the interior secretarys absence and the chief justice said that the courts directives should be taken seriously. The chief justice reiterated that it was the interior secretary who had been summoned as opposed to the additional interior secretary. The attorney general reiterated that the bench had exceeded beyond its mandate in its interim order. Upon which, Justice Khawaja said that the court had to act in accordance with the Constitution. The attorney general, responding, said that he too was acting according to the Constitution. Chief Justice Iftikhar said that the attorney general had not been issued a notice to appear for the hearing. He further asked if the court would have to plead before the interior secretary for the latter to submit a response in the case. Subsequently, the chief justice inquired of the attorney general as to why the government had not submitted a report on the matter. Responding to which, the attorney general said that more people were being killed in Punjab than in Balochistan. Bring a case for Punjab before us and we will take a decision on it, the chief justice said. The bench reissued directives for the submission of the report and adjourned the hearing until Nov 2. *Article abstracted from Frontier Post and Dawn News.

Fundamental areas upon which delegates should prepare debate and discussion: 1. Identification of the cause of failure to Baluchistan. 2. Does the house agree that there is no writ of government in province anymore? 3. Short term and long term solution of Baluchistan issue? 4. Will the coming election be a solution? Could it be free and fair! Delegates must also point out other major factors such as, missing persons, distribution of natural resources, BLA and other Nationalist parties and foreign hand in insurgency e.t.c

Topic area B: Recent Violence in Karachi

The timeline of recent wave of violence in Karachi

12 hours ago~Karachi killings claim seven lives Incidents of target killings continued and seven people lost their lives in different areas of Karachi, DawnNews reported on Thursday. 27th October, 2012 ~Sindh governor orders issuance of arms licenses to businessmen Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan ordered the home secretary to issue arms licenses to members of the business community in order to combat criminals and the extortion mafia. 26th October, 2012 ~Firing at F.B. Area restaurant kills five in Karachi Five people were killed late on Thursday after unidentified men opened fire at a restaurant in F. B. Area neighbourhood of Karachi, DawnNews reported. 25th October, 2012~Killings continue unabated in Karachi Ten people lost their lives in separate incidents while LEAs continued with operations in various parts of the city, DawnNews reported. 19th October, 2012 ~PPP MPA injured in firing incident in Karachi Meanwhile, incidents of firing and targeted killings continued in the metropolis killing 11 more people on Friday. 19th October, 2012~At least two killed in Karachi violence Two people were killed when unidentified men opened fire on Karachis Bilal Colony Korangi and Nasir Colony. 18th October, 2012 ~Three killed in Karachi violence; 11 arrested Moreover, the police arrested at least 11 suspects in search operations in different areas of the city. 15th October, 2012 ~At least four killed across Karachi; Rangers arrest 11 Moreover, 11 people, including a suspected target killer, were arrested during operations conducted by Rangers. 12th October, 2012~Four dead, nine injured in incidents of violence across Karachi Four alleged target killers were also arrested in Gulistan-e-Jauhar and Sir Syed areas of the city. 8th October, 2012 ~Three including a woman gunned down in Karachi Three people including a woman lost their lives in separate incidents of firing in the metropolis on Monday morning, said rescue sources. 1st October, 2012 ~Two killed in Karachi violence A woman's body was found in Sherpao Colony whereas a man was shot dead in the city's Liaquatabad area, DawnNews reported. 29th September, 2012 ~Rallies banned in Karachi for three days The Sindh government placed a ban on processions and rallies in the metropolis for three days on Friday. 26th September, 2012 ~Man, two sons among 10 gunned down The man and his two sons were gunned down while one of their relatives was wounded in a targeted attack in the old city area on Tuesday night. 25th September, 2012 ~Six killed in incidents of violence in Karachi On the other hand, tension prevailed in North Karachi while the funeral of four brothers killed in a firing incident yesterday took place. 22nd September, 2012~Business jittery on violence Violent demonstrations, along with the countrys economic activities coming to a complete halt could cost the economy dearly.

20th September, 2012 ~Three killed, five injured in Karachi violence At least three people were killed and five injured in various incidents of firing in Karachi on Thursday 20th September, 2012 ~Three MQM men among dozen killed across Karachi Around a dozen people, including three activists of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, were killed in different parts of the city on Wednesday 19th September, 2012 ~Ten, including political worker, killed in Karachi violence Ten people lost their lives in various incidents of violence and firing as the unrest in Karachi continued on Wednesday. 18th September, 2012 ~Karachi killings continue unabated Target killings in Karachi continued on Tuesday as another 10 people lost their lives in various acts of violence. 18th September, 2012 ~Four killed in incidents of violence in Karachi Incidents of violence were reported from the city's Malir, Baldia and Pak Colony areas, DawnNews reported on Tuesday. 18th September, 2012 ~Former Town Nazim among 11 dead in Karachi violence Dr Tariq Pervaiz Mehmood, a former Town Nazim and his friend were shot dead after unidentified men opened fire on them, DawnNews reported. 17th September, 2012 ~Fanning the flames in Karachi The perception of Karachi by the media is often presented as a violent city its plurality, commercial centres and hospitable inhabitants overlooked. 16th September, 2012~Inside the killing fields of Karachi Each dawn and sunset brings the news of death. Every day, the death toll in the city hits the half a dozen mark. The crime of the victims? The accident of birth. 15th September, 2012 ~Ten killed in renewed wave of violence in Karachi The areas that experienced violence include Sohrab Goth, Soldier Bazaar, Model Colony and Ranchchore Lines among others, DawnNews reported. 15th September, 2012 ~Karachi violence leaves 10 dead Ten people have been killed after numerous firing incidents in Karachi, DawnNews reported. 8th September, 2012 ~Karachi violence claims four lives Violence continues unabated in Karachi as incidents of firing claimed four more lives on Saturday, DawnNews reported. 7th September, 2012 ~Four killed in violence in Karachi Despite the governments promises to alleviate the violence, it continues unabated in the city. 28th August, 2012 ~Attack on political partys office in Karachi wounds six According to initial unconfirmed media reports, the attackers hurled a hand grenade at the office in Karachi's Kemari area, injuring six people. 27th August, 2012 ~Violence in Karachi claims 18 lives Moreover, security was on high alert around the city courts premises and its adjoining areas after a bomb threat was received. 27th August, 2012 ~MQM man wounded in gun attack A worker of the MQM was seriously wounded and two other persons also suffered injuries in a gun attack in Baldia Town on Sunday night. *The above information is extracted from Dawn news.

The house looking at this alarming situation has called an all party conference at National assembly for both short term and long term solution of this grave issue or people are facing. The committee should be able to discuss and provide solutions to the following key questions: 1. Listing out possible causes of this recent violence. 2. Are Political parties involved in such killings? 3. What is police and Rangers doing? Are the authorities failed? 4. Are foreign elements present in creating this turmoil? 5. What are the short term solutions to immediately control the killings? 6. long term solutions? 7. who is to held responsible?