LB polls in Balochistan harbinger of peace
BALOCHISTAN is facing law and order turmoil since long and there have been serious terrorist attacks in the recent past.
Baloch public suffered most in this situation due to the volatile security situation in the province.
Local bodies election in Balochistan has been held after 9 years. This is indeed the much-needed development in the province that is lagging far behind in development and progress as compared to other provinces.
Besides, Baloch insurgent groups’ sporadic attacks on security forces and other terror incidents make the development and prosperity in the area a distant dream.
Majority of Baloch public is peaceful in nature and want to live a normal life like other citizens of Pakistan.
It is indeed their due right that could not be provided due to obvious reasons and foreign interference.
The Baloch youth are not only eager in getting higher education but very actively participate in the sports.
They travel for miles for education despite scarce facilities in the province.Local body election will help in provision of much needed facilities in the province like education, health, infrastructure, water and sanitation.
Baloch public is deprived of such basic facilities as compared to the other citizens in other provinces of Pakistan.
Provision of these basic facilities is the responsibility of the state but insurgency and the law and order situation always hampered the development in the province.
Many areas in the province are still deprived of clean water. In this context, Local Bodies election indeed is very significant for the Baloch population who actively participated in the Local Bodies election which was not seen earlier.
Active participation by public is due to their desire of living in a peaceful and progressing environment.
Peaceful Local Bodies election in the province indeed reflects the public confidence in democracy and improved security situation in the province.
Massive turnout which was reported 65% in Turbat speaks about rejection of sabotage activities and public desire of peace and flourishing democracy that would resolve their long-standing issues of governance.
Successful Local bodies election will not only strengthen the democracy but it is heralding the peace and progress of Balochistan.
There is need to ensure devolution of funds to the local level and a check and balance system for the development projects on district level to ensure that the funds are spent on the approved projects accordingly.
There should be minimum allegations of corruption or irregularities so that the public confidence on the local bodies system may be strengthened further.
This would ultimately lead to the development and progress of the province, thus benefitting the local population in the shape of their prosperity.
Social wellbeing is the second more affecting aspect in human life that drives the ideologies and political narratives.
A successful local bodies system that heralds peace and tranquillity in the area would soon correspond into a peace loving, progressing and free of terrorism society, which is a long-awaited dream of Pakistan.
—The writer is an Islamabad-based media analyst and quasi columnist.
