Tribes hold sway over Pakistan's vast gas reserves

[rvikz]

are baluchis getting fair share of their natural resources?

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/02/19/MN196186.DTL

[Zakk]

This issues been discussed in a previous thread rvizk although the article was a good read.

[Zakk]

Just to add to the article, here are two links including interviews with Bugti and the former head of the Mazari clan.

http://newsline.com.pk/newsbeat2feb.htm

http://newsline.com.pk/newsbeat3feb.htm

[Imdad Ali]

Good articles.

[outlaw]

get out of regional-political mindset

[CM]

Originally posted by outlaw:
get out of regional-political mindset

If only...

[Imdad Ali]

Originally posted by outlaw:
get out of regional-political mindset

Good advice for the govnt. Hope they follow it.

[CM]

Its good advice for everybody including posters like you.

[Zakk]

regional political?..all politics is local and regional, in case you didn't know. We're talking about an issue of people being disposessed of their land. How is that a narrow viewpoint? I would imagine it's a universal issue. And as long as people feel they are second class citizens regional and ethnic politics will continue and spread.

[CM]

Very simple. It is for the common good. In many cases people feel they are second or third class citizens due to their own stupidity and problems.

Balochistan needs to be developed. It deserves it. However to say that it doesnt get it because of racism in the politic structure of the country is pure stupidity.

[Zakk]

Cm racial stereotypes are quite entrenched in Pakistan. If youa re not aware of that I am surprised. people are often discriminated against because of their ethhnicity when it comes to getting a fair deal and when it comes to representation in the Federal government structure. That is a well known fact and I can recommend u quite a few books to refer too.

[Imdad Ali]

Most of these regional issues are created by the govnt by pitting one group againt another. This is done to deflect attention from the follies of the govnt.

[CM]

Originally posted by Zakk:
Cm racial stereotypes are quite entrenched in Pakistan. If youa re not aware of that I am surprised. people are often discriminated against because of their ethhnicity when it comes to getting a fair deal and when it comes to representation in the Federal government structure. That is a well known fact and I can recommend u quite a few books to refer too.

Those books would be baised in the favor of one sect or minoirty or province would it not? I have yet to read an objective book on the issue. I feel the racial stereotypes and the hatred between provinces is blown out of proportion and it isnt that bad. If it was as bad as people say that all the different people in karachi cant live together. How the heck have we stayed a single state for 55 years?

You and I both know that Pakistanis have a nasty habit of blaming things on others and not on themselves. We lose in cricket, its not because we played bad, but we were bought. A person didnt get a job because he was under qualifed and stupid. Rather it was because he was Sindhi or Pathan and the boss was Punjabi or Mohajir. We all have seen this.

[Zakk]

CM: Those books I am referring to have not been written with a pro ethnic or regional mindset, they discuss the country as a whole. And point out these huge imbalances( the best books would be Ayesha Jalal's, Akbar Zaidi and Feroz Khans. I accept there isn't as much hatred(thankfully) as people make it out, but at the institutional level there is a lot fo discrimination. Eventually people get fed up and put their vote and support with someone who they think can actually do something for their area.

On a personal level, I have also seen and experienced plenty of discrimination because of which area I am from. To ask someone who hasn't experienced to understand how it feels and how it makes you feel is quite hard.

[Scratch]

Originally posted by CM:
the hatred between provinces is blown out of proportion and it isnt that bad. If it was as bad as people say that all the different people in karachi cant live together[/color]

People of different ethnicities live togerther in Karachi alright but do they live together peacefully? Infact, Karachi provides a clear demonstration of how deep-rooted the ethnicity/provincialism is in our country. And we really cant over-stress this issue enough if indeed we want to address it in a purposeful manner.

Baluchistan's problem is vastly different. The province lacks in progress because its population to land ratio is small which makes it difficult for the resources to be distributed in an effective manner. And the tribal chiefs exploit this situation to their own advantage.