Title: Pakistan's Political Chess Board: Bhutto, Bugti and The National Awami Party Government In Balochistan (1972–1977)
Abstract: 67 Journal of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies Vol. 42, No.1, Fall 2018 Pakistan’s Political Chess Board: Bhutto, Bugti and The National Awami Party Government In Balochistan (1972–1977) Rizwan Zeb* Introduction Balochistan, geographically the largest but least populated and under developed province of Pakistan holds vast reserves of copper, gold, uranium, oil and gas. Since 1947, Balochistan has problematic relations with Islamabad. The recent wave of insurgent violence began in 2004, but it has ebbed in recent months. The Baloch have a distinct narrative of grievances, betrayal and injustices committed against them by Islamabad. In this narrative, two events hold the most important position: the accession of Kalat1 under duress and the dismissal of Balochistan’s first elected government and the most serious insurgency in Balochistan.2 This study focuses on the second part of the Baloch narrative. It covers the developments in Centre-Balochistan relations from 1972 to 1977. The *Rizwan Zeb earned his Ph.D from UWA in 2016. He is director, Pathfinder Associates, a political and risk security consultancy and associate editor, Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs (Sage). He is also a Research Fellow, Institute of Regional Studies, Islamabad, Pakistan and an Associate Professor at the department of International Relations and Development Studies at the Iqra University, Islamabad, Pakistan and adjunct faculty at the department of Defense and Strategic studies at the Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad. He was a Benjamin Meaker visiting Professor in Politics at the Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Bristol, United Kingdom 2006- 2007. This paper is a revised and abridged version of one of the chapters of his doctoral thesis that he wrote at University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia. 1 Rizwan Zeb, “The Root of Resentment,” The Friday Times, 29 July 2016, http://www.thefridaytimes .com/tft/roots-of-resentment/ last viewed 10 August 2016. 2 Rizwan Zeb, “The Root of Resentment II,” The Friday Times, 5 August 2016, http://www.thefridaytimes.com/tft/roots-of-resentment-ii/ , last viewed 10 August 2016. 68 article argues that for Balochistan, the decade of 1970s, started on a positive note as General Yahya Khan accepted an important Baloch demand and granted Balochistan the status of a province. The elections in the 1970s was also a positive development in which the Baloch elected their own representatives: Sardar Attaullah Mengal, Akbar Bugti and Khair Bakhsh Marri who emerged on the Baloch political scene during the Ayub khan era and joined NAP for the 1970 elections. In the 1970 election, NAP (national Awami Party) emerged as the majority party in Balochistan. During the civil war in erstwhile East Pakistan, General Yahya Khan also banned the later NAP for allegedly conspiring to start an insurrection in West Pakistan. This was the historical and psychological baggage that the state of Pakistan carried along with it when Zulfiqar ali Bhutto took over and struggled to stabilize the new Pakistan. Bhutto was a Bonapartist 3 and this factor also played a significant role in the political developments of 1970s. This article argues that the lack of political acumen of the Baloch leadership, Bugti and Mengal-Marri rivalry, Baloch tribal feuds, Bhutto’s unwillingness to share power and accept the mandate of the NAP, Pakistan state’s security perception post 1971 war and dismemberment of Pakistan were the main reasons for the political instability in Balochistan during the 1970s. The article is divided in three parts. First part overviews the developments during this period. Second, details the Baloch and centre’s narratives followed by an analysis of both narratives highlighting the missing elements. The concluding part sums up the paper. 1970 Election and Balcohistan For Baloch, General Yahya’s decision to grant provincial status to Balochistan was a welcome development. The new Baloch leadership comprising Gahous Bakhsh Bizenjo, Nawab Khair Bux Marri, Sardar Attaullah Mengal and Nawab Akbar Bugti that rose to prominence during the Ayub regime, decided to participate in the 1970 elections. Barring Bizenjo, who had a long political career and understanding, Nawab Marri, Nawab Bugti and Sardar Mengal only aimed at safeguarding the Baloch identity and rights.4 After some deliberations and Bizenjo’s persuasion, they joined National Awami Party (NAP...
Publication Year: 2018
Publication Date: 2018-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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