On the second day, the Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani witnessed signing of the historic NFC Award by all the four provincial chief ministers, finance ministers and non-official members of the National Finance Commission (NFC) in Gwadar. This event is significant particularly for Balochistan as it is expected to increase the share of revenue or resource transfer from mere Rs 60 billions at the moment to Rs 200 billions in the next fiscal year. It is going to be a big jump in revenue for Balochistan.

Such an achievement was made possible when the federal government had conceded to surrender at least 10 per cent of its share that raised the share of the provinces to 56 per cent instead of 46 per last year. Similarly, the Government of Punjab offered sacrifices by conceding the rights of the smaller provinces to switch over to multiple criteria for distribution of resources ending the formula on population basis alone. In a way, Punjab had surrendered 18 per cent of its share while Federal Government had surrendered 10 per cent. All these resources will be given to the smaller provinces of Sindh, NWFP and Balochistan. The multiple criteria are inverse population growth, backwardness, poverty and revenue contribution by Sindh to the Federal exchequer.

Selection of Gwadar for signing the NFC Award was symbolic and meant to express solidarity with the struggle of the Baloch people who suffered a lot under the military dictatorship of General Pervez Musharraf. The present government, including the three provincial governments, had already taken many steps to mitigate the human sufferings of the Baloch people. Presence of Pakistani leadership in Gwadar is historic in a way to assure the Baloch people that their grievances will be redressed in due course of time. It is the first NFC Award with a new national spirit to accommodate the demands of the smaller provinces.

In the next Award, the smaller provinces will get more resources, it is predicted by the seasoned political observers. At least they read it a clear message to improve the working of Federation with greater internal autonomy to the federating units. The Prime Minister and his Cabinet colleagues were candid in their views about the just economic, political and constitutional rights of the people of Balochistan saying that they would guard them in the constitution. All eyes are now set on the proper working the Constitutional Committee suggesting amendments in the Constitution to satisfy the smaller provinces or reducing the arbitrary powers of the central government.

The Centre-Province relations remained strained merely because of the prolonged rule by the military dictators or the military having a greater say in other than the Defence. The military dictators ruled the country for more than three decades and they converted it to their personalized rule over the people of Pakistan. For the Baloch people, it was highly centralized or highly personalized rule with unlimited powers to the dictator to kill Nawab Akbar Bugti and all his companions in a single military action. According to Bugti tribesmen, more than 60 tribesmen were killed along with Nawab Bugti. Similarly, more than 70 people, including women and children, were killed when General Pervez Musharraf ordered indiscriminate shelling and bombing on the residence of Nawab Bugti earlier in March that year. In a way, Baloch people are more interested in constitutional rule than highly personalized dictatorial rule over the country where the dictator ruled at his whim in disregard of the constitutional rights of ordinary citizens of Pakistan.

The visit to Gwadar by the Prime Minister and three other Chief Ministers will go a long way in reshaping the political and constitutional order in Pakistan ending the unjust rule by the despotic elements. Economic autonomy or more financial powers will be a prelude to greater internal autonomy for Balochistan and other provinces with the hope that all the major political parties will understand the right of self rule in the Pakistani Federation. We hope all the political forces outside the Parliament will also respond in a positive way to the goodwill gestures of the PPP Government at the Centre. The President of Pakistan had made specific pledges to defend the legitimate rights of the Baloch people along with others making Pakistan a voluntary federation in its true sense.