NWFP/ FATA. The backward province of Pakistan is home to ferocious Pashtun fighters known to be supporting and getting recruited in different versions of Taliban movement. The Taliban pay them salaries ranging from Pak Rupees 2000 to 25 thousand apart from compensation for grieved families of martyrs. This salary is much more than what a common tribal earns in these areas. Solution : Development i.e. Factories, Agricultural tools and micro financing for cottage industry.
Balochistan. Balochistan is also home to several insurgencies and is believed to be the next center stage for terrorism in the region. Balochistan is 43% of Pakistan’s landmass and has a population of less than 10 Million, home to world’s largest natural gas, oil and copper/ gold reserves. The stake holders are investing in landlords and the landlords inturn hire mercenaries ( average pay ranging from Pak Rs 2000 to 25000). Balochistan lacks both agriculture and industry, what do you think the people are supposed to earn their living from. Solution: Industry, mega agricultural projects and micro financing for cottage industry/ small business.
Afghanistan. The Afghan based Taliban groups also thrive on similar rules i.e. manipulating the economic weaknesses of masses. Same rules apply as Afghan agriculture and Industry have been destroyed with decades of war. Give people something to live on.
We need to think that if the International community and the local governments find it financially impossible to generate jobs and feed the people who are being hired by the militants, THEN HOW COME THE MILITANTS AFFORD IT AND WHO IS FUNDING THEM.
We also need to think that basic human needs remain the strongest and most lucrative motive, make people dependant on facilities and they will find it difficult to form part of any revolution/ radicalism. A newly born child in every corner of the world is equally innocent and harmless, we must thus invest in protecting him from being manipulated by the terrorists we all hate and fear.

The average yearly expenditure on War on terror in Afghanistan and Pakistan is close to 100 Billion US $. These are poor countries and if the world decides that lets spend 70% of the said budget for social uplift and development in the same region, it would tame them and convert them into useful members of the global community.
Few Thrust Lines for consideration could be:-

Present focus on weapons trade/ security industry can be shifted to other less harmful sectors which would convert said region in to a more lucrative and sustainable market.
As an immediate measure about $ 180 Billion may be invested over next 3 years in developing/ erecting industry and agriculture.
Sustainable development in Education and energy sectors.

BALOCHISTAN BUDGET PASTRY UNVEILS

BY : AALIA NOUSHERWANI

• Mir Muhammad Asim Kurd Gailo presented the over Pak-Rupee 80 Billion Balochistan Budget on Jun 20 2009. The Budget was presented amidst gruesome propaganda of federation stealing on Balochistan’s deserved share ONCE AGAIN. Finance minister was indeed faced with a critical challenge of preparing a budget for penny less province having the richest mineral reserves. Mr. Gailo is a silent mujahid in background. He did go into frustration few days back while occasionally surfacing his plight by saying that we don’t have the money to make a budget.
• Under the circumstances Gailo has done exceptionally well…… No doubt apart from the financial difficulties and increasing requirements….. the budget stake appears to be increasingly SMALLER AND SMALLER AND SMALLER to be divided amongst the political investors who are obligatory to be satisfied. Hurray he did it again.
• Baring the spectators, only the horse knows how heavy a Tonga really is to pull. The finance minister started his budget speech with a verse from Saghar Siddiqqi thus setting the mood for the listeners.  The budget includes rupees 18 billion for development and 15 billion for administration and law and order. The budget also offers nearing 5000 additional jobs. Mouth watering isn’t it.
• Now let’s see what benefits it is going to bring to a common Baloch ….. last year 40% of the budget went to roads and communication infrastructure. That included mostly the shingle roads WHY WHY WHY??????  May be because Shingle roads are easy to make and easy to wash away & thus become an excellent source generating continuous employment opportunity for the complete chain.
• The PSDP issue is also extremely interesting again creating the doubts that Balochistan has once again being IGNORED. What happened to the 46 Billion President aid? What happened to the PRE-BUDGET meetings of the Baloch CM and Finance Minister with the president and the PM? What about the earnings of Reko Diq and Sandak? Probably the provincial government also proudly announced the functionality of Gwadar port this year? Every barefoot Baloch also walks on gold and copper reserves? What about federally funded and federally drained MEGA PROJECTS? What about royalties of natural gas? How come the provincial income is only Rupees 3 Billion?  Why am I asking such irrelevant questions may be I am stupid or I am a Baloch nationalist?
• Leaving the lighter part aside Mr. Gailo has done exceptionally well though his enemies say a lot about his origin and motives, but then it’s our national habit to point fingers on everyone who is famous. Wait a minute is he famous? He is even shy from facing the media and getting his snaps done. Do you have any idea who Mr. Mir Muhammad Asim Kurd Gailo really is? Where he hails from? What business he runs? What are his sources of earnings? Is he a feudal or a landlord? Who is he????? Well he is patriot and OF COURSE HE IS FAMOUS —- Number -1 He has surprisingly managed  to maintain his appearance unchanged from past 2 decades see his snaps today and yesterday you won’t be able to make out any change at all — WELL DONE. (May be he ate a bit op poppy he is accused of exporting for the well being of the deprived Baloch Masses). Gailo is also accused of being a DRUG BARON and on Interpol’s hit list in the eighties and nineties —- Baseless Accusation —- Nobody has a proof — Most of all Baloch leaders are demonised by Pakistani Fascists of being corrupt and stealing rights of their masses. He is also accused of being a lead arms smugglers —- Baseless Again —- Is there any dearth of arms in Balochistan and Afghanistan – Wasn’t fighting and supporting Afghan Mujahids a national cause and motto – otherwise every Baloch maintains personal arms and supplying them or their lords with one, is not a crime. Last but not the least he is also accused of supporting the present Balochistan government instated by agencies —- GOOD LORD AGAIN BASELESS —- the whole concept of bribing the Baloch politicians worth just 3-4 million each by intelligence agencies is a hoax — why would someone as wealthy as Gailo or the honourable Baloch politicians take such petty bribes when each maintains personal vehicles etc. much more the alleged worth — NONSENSE – INFACT GAILO IS FINANCIAL GENIUS WHO HAS BATTLED THE WORST AND STILL MANAGED TO KEEP EVERY ONE WEALTHY — SORRY —  HAPPY. HE MADE A LAUDABLE BUDGET OUT OF NOTHING AND MANAGED TO KEEP ALL POLITICAL INVESTORS SATISFIED. CORRUPTION IS OTHERWISE OUT OF QUESTION FOR THE PRESENT BALOCH REGIME – ALLEGATIONS LIKE PURCHASE OF 200 ACRES OF LAND IN CHILLI   ETC ARE ALSO HOAX. IN NUT SHELL BALOCHISTAN HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE.

Balochistan’s economy otherwise is the most complex in many many ways i.e. 20% surface and 80% underground. The rural populace is virtually sustained by their Vaderas/ Nawabs/ Sradars who collect the complete income and then manage the livelihood for the subservient masses. The masses pay homage and respect the masters as second only to the Almighty and in most cases as second to none as well. The private armies, lashkars and gangs including those made to fight for the Baloch nationalism involve much more money than the Balochistan government.  These funds are well circulated into Baloch economy though the effect on common man’s life i.e. well being remains invisible. Smuggling, gunrunning, international stake holders and Vaderas/ Nawabs/ Sradars combined make a complex scenario coupled with majority ignorant masses —- ignorant of their manipulation – ignorant of their rights and extremely loyal to and dependant on their manipulators. Budget after budget and regardless of the billions paid in royalties to Baloch masters or the mega projects the common Baloch will always be used as crop for harvesting fruits for someone else. This budget won’t make a difference — it has again been orchestrated on the same rules —- HOW TO TRANSFER IT TO OUR PERSONAL POCKETS NEATLY AND COMPLETELY. Wajah Gailo