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BTTN SEMINAR “THE OBSTACLES IN PAKISTAN’S SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ECONOMICAL DEVELOPMENT ON 8TH MAY 2023 HELD AT BUITEMS UNIVERSITY, QUETTA, BALOCHISTAN”

BRIG (R) AGHA AHMAD GUL BTTN, QUETTA

OPENING ADDRESS

Honourable Owais Ahmed Ghani, former Governor of Bln and KP, Lt Gen Khalid Ahmed Kidwai, Advisor National Command Authority, Excellences’ Vice Chancellors, Distinguished Speakers and Guest, Ladies and Gentlemen and my Dear Students,

1. On behalf of BTTN and on my behalf, I welcome you all to this Seminar. I owe special thanks to those who have come from distant places. And those who are participating as Speakers and Chairs of the Panels. Thank you very much.
2. Our most important participants today are the students; they are the future of Pakistan. Please listen to the talks, these are addressing very critical subjects on which depends Pakistan’s future, your future.
3. In August last year, Pakistan crossed 75 Years of its life and celebrated the Diamond Jubilee. It was inevitable to look for Diamonds. While looking out for Diamonds, one found small islands of Diamonds in a sea of otherwise Black Carbon.
4. Here and there centers of excellence and achievements are visible, here and there honest people with total commitment to Pakistan certainly shines. But the great mass of darkness is also looming overshadowing our Diamond Jubilee.
5. Where have we gone wrong? What should be the Way Forward? This Seminar is focused at seeking answers to these two questions. And our distinguished Speakers shall share their ideas and suggestions with us.
6. Constitution lays down the Road Map. Inevitably one tends to take stock of the Constitution. Allow me to briefly share the history of our Constitution.
7. Our 1st Constitution was formulated after 8 Years of Independence, and adopted on 23 March 1958. The reason for this inordinate delay was our fragmented political fabric. The people who had never been close to each other were sitting together to formulate a Political Code of Conduct to live together. In 8 Years we had 6 Prime Ministers. The C-in-C General Muhammad Ayub Khan who became the C-in-C in 1951 was also made the Defence Minister in 1954, where he witnessed firsthand the political instability in the Cabinet and the Constituent Assembly.
8. The Constitution of March 1956 based on One Unit and East West Pakistan’s parity, also did not bring about stability. On 6 October 1958, Abdul Hakeem the Speaker of the East Pakistan Assembly was attacked by Opposition and killed during the Session in Dacca.
9. On 7 October 1958 the President Iskandar Mirza abrogated the Constitution, declaring Martial Law and appointed General Ayub Khan as the Chief Martial Law Administrator. On 27 October with the resignation of the president, General Ayub Khan assumed the presidency also.
10. President Ayub Khan gave a new Constitution in 1962. It was based on Presidential form of government with indirect election for the president and National and Provincial Assemblies. This lasted till 1969. The political instability again forced him to resign and General Yahya became the Chief Martial Law Administrator as well as the president.
11. General Yahya abolished One Unit, removed the Parity between East and West Pakistan, reverted back to the provinces prior to 1956, and merged Quetta and Kalat Divisions creating province of Balochistan. The 1970 Election created such irreconcilable differences that East and West Pakistan separated in the after math of rebellion and India’s attack.
12. In 1973 Mr. Bhutto ushered in the new Constitution, which was Federal Parliamentary form of government with full powers vested with the PM. In July 1977, 14th Amendment mandated dismissal of Members on Floor Crossing. However, instability post-1977 election made General Zia overthrew Bhutto and he became the 3rd Martial Law Administrator. After a mix of controlled-democracy for 3 years, he dismissed the Assemblies and announced new elections. But before the elections, he died in an air crash in August 1988 and once again Democratic governments emerged in 1989.
13. 1989 to 1999, there was a kind of Political Musical Chair between the two parties PPP and PMLN, whose leaders kept swapping Prime Minister Ships, and the Political Instability continued. On 12 October 1999, General Pervez Musharraf through a Coup d’état clamped Martial Law, I am sure you know the background.
14. He was allowed by the Supreme Court to not only rule for 3 Years but even alter the Constitution. He balanced the Constitution giving powers to the president. After he allowed elections and the government was formed, the PPP led government tried to impeach him, when he resigned on 8 August 2008.
15. Two years later, on 8 April 2010, the new House unanimously passed the 18th Amendment to the Constitution. It made the Constitution again a Parliamentary Democracy, transferring full powers to the Prime Minister once again.
16. It also gave self-governing, legislative and financial autonomy to the provinces, empowering the Chief Ministers, removed all the subjects from the Concurrent List and handed over to the provinces subjects of Education, Health, Climate Change, Labour n Manpower, Population Welfare etc.
17. This is a short story of our experience of playing football with the Constitution. The political instability is again thriving, adversely influencing all other elements of national power, in particular the Economy.
18. Our present Constitution has made Pakistan a Confederation, while it has removed vital Checks and Balances on the Executive. The social-contract is in taters with growing poverty. The political workers as well as journalists are being jailed on political considerations and one has even been killed. Our Governing Tool, the Constitution, is demanding direction again, asking, indeed shouting, “Where do we go from here?”
19. The political instability is grossly increasing poverty and also widening the distance between Haves and Have-nots. The life style of the Haves on the Tax Payers money is far above the standard which should be followed by this dirt-poor country’s executives and the privileged. A Bureaucratic isolation is visibly growing. The society appears to be run by a neo-colonial mindset.
20. Corruption has become the order of the day. Public Servants behave like colonial masters, not public servants. Accountability is badly required if we need to integrate as a nation.
21. Poverty, hunger and disease, are spreading. It ought to be reduced, or else we are heading towards worsening crime state, under-nourished mothers and new born babies. Statistically, 46% of children in Pakistan are stunted, not only in bodies but brains also.
22. Pakistan inherited the four federating Units after partition. Punjab was and is the biggest province. With over 11 Crore population, it is nearly half of Pakistan. The rest of 12 Crore Pakistanis are divided amongst 3 provinces and 3 Territories of Islamabad, AJK and GB. This has created a serious imbalance. This needs to be addressed, not only for balanced governance, but also for National Integration.
23. Pakistan’s Economic Crisis is perhaps the most serious issue. Our last year’s budget was scary. Against the Gross Federal Revenue of 9.004 tr. the Budget Deficit was Rs.3.79tr. Today, Pakistan is in breach of all fiscal targets. IMF estimates our GDP Growth for this year to be 0.5%.
24. The reasons behind this Economic state are 5; Political Instability, Growth of Population, Neo-Colonial living – far beyond our means, Growing Poverty and Corruption. These attributes are self-destruct approaches, if not addressed, they will lead Pakistan to very serious security threats.
25. National security is not only military oriented; it very much has non-military dimensions also. Both demand strong economy. Poor economy will shrink both the Strategic Reserves and Logistic Stamina forcing defeat on even the most motivated Military System and Nation. National Security will be compromised unless our Economy is strong and self-sufficient.
26. Pakistan is located in a Geopolitical Crush-Zone. Major Power have competing demands. Our national Policy has to manage it without compromising on our Vital Interests.
27. And finally, we ought to comprehend the Global Climate Change, its Impact on Pakistan and how to manage it.
28. I have briefly introduced the major challenges which are facing Pakistan today. I now request our Distinguished Speakers to enlighten us by sharing their views with us to manage these issues.