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Political culture of Baluchistan, a comparative study.

By: Syed Anwar Zaib

The interesting incidents in the politics of Pakistan force the people of Balochistan to take part in politics and in its solutions and consequences. Politics is the most interesting and likeable topic for the people of Balochistan not only in Balochistan also for the people of whole state. The peer groups, mates, fellows, friends, partners analyses the current circumstances and affairs of state and drawn different solutions and consequences. But the question rises whether the people of Balochistan have the environment of political culture or not.  Answer to this question is sometime very tuff to define but in some situation it’s very easy to define in term of, that if we compare the political culture of Balochistan with the other federating unit of Pakistan its political culture is very poor, due to the lack of leadership and fragile and multiple other reasons. There is an obvious sense of political deprivation among the people of Balochistan which emerges from a number of factors.

Historically low literacy rate, poor quality of education, an added sense of marginalization and very little comprehension of set practices of national and international politics, the political culture of the province has been more anti-centre and somehow anti-state.

Feudalist system which influenced the political culture and its norms badly. Its saying that one person casts the vote of ten people at the same time still in least develop areas of Balochistan. People are still unaware about their social as well as national rights, they still don’t know what is elections? What is mean by vote? The feudalist and the richest person by them with the help of money and In the era of development in other words 2019  but the vote still have no value. People vote for the candidate who constructs bridges and roads to their village or finances tube wells to water their agricultural land. Votes are often purchased by bribing the head of a village, Mir or Malak, and so all the votes of that village are assured in said candidate’s favor.

The success of politics is not possible with in a democratic state without public opinion. It shapes the consequences, it helps to find several ways for state’s politics but, according to my personal study 53 percent people voted in previous election of 2018, almost 10 to 12 percent participation increased then the elections of 2013. The study shows that the public opinion in the province is still not on its peak. The opinion of ones is still damaged by the others in shape of military as well as land lord and feudal.  The tribal heads still playing key role in the politics of Balochistan. The detachment among the nationalist parties promotes wanes, the sufferings of the people of the province, which unquestionably needs much attention. Since the inception of Pakistan, the central government has always been biased of tribal heads and consolidated with them by granting them enormous political and economic incentives in order to legitimize their hold over the masses of the province.

Moreover, one another factor which also works as a great barrier in the political development of Balochistan, name as ‘illiteracy’ according to a study that the most illiterate city of Pakistan is Musakhail which is one of the valuable district of Balochistan where the natural resource of Uranium founded which is use in Atom bomb, but the education system is not able to discuss. Several factors in the universe depend upon on education, same the case with politics and political culture. Balochistan needs good quality of education, leadership, policy makers, administrators, Islamic scholars as well as educators to meet with good circumstances. In this sort environment I don’t think that Balochistan will compete with the world not even with the other federating units of Pakistan. A pragmatic approach and policy of live and let live is the only prescription for Balochistan’s peace and progress.

Published in The Balochistan Point on February 14, 2019

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this opinion are those of the writer and The Balochistan Point not necessarily agrees with them. 

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