Pipeline Dream, Passing Through Balochistan !!

Pakistan has finally inked the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project. A pipeline dream is about to become a reality. It is around 785 Km long line stretching from Iranian Paras field to Gwadar and to Nawabshah. The overall project cost is USD 1.2 bill, it is expected that financing would be arranged by next year and overall project would take 4 years to complete. On the saving part it is expected that USD 1 bill would be saved per year in account of reduced oil import bill, so investment would be recovered within one year of operation. It is expected that gas would be used to generate 4,000 MW energy so that hungry Pakistani industries get rid of load shedding. It is going to be a milestone for Pakistani economic growth; otherwise, expensive LNG import option from Qatar would have been considered. Large part of the pipeline would pass through Balochistan, keeping in view the feelings of deprivation in Balochistan, the socio-political cost of investment and risk may be much higher than envisaged amount. So far people in Balochistan consider the state policies anti Baloch and colonial in nature, they believe that state is exploiting the natural resources and returning peanuts to province through National Finance Award (NFC is national fiscal disbursement formula based on population, Balochistan population is just 6 to 8 mill out of 170 mill people). If such level of extreme distrust prevails in the minds of people, I am afraid the pipeline dream may be a distant dream, until a win-win approach is used in winning the hearts and minds of people through initial and urgent CBMs (confidence building measures). People of Pakistan have suffered a lot lately, the country’s geography and resources are favorable to make Pakistan an economic tiger of the region, provided we think in win-win direction. To make sure pipeline dream is accomplished, it is imperative to initiate confidence building measures on war footing grounds with the politicians and elders of Balochistan. Revive & consider the Senator Mushahid Hussein and Senator Wasim Sajjad Committee findings and Senator Raza Rabbani’s suggested points. Conclude and take immediate actions, bring back insurgents into political fold through conceding amnesty. Four year would be sufficient enough to create a win-win situation; if we just keep blaming India for creating trouble in Balochistan, I am afraid things may turn worse. Hope sanity prevails and we see constructive steps all around.