GWADAR: National Party (NP) central leader and Senator Jan Muhammad Buledi has said that Pakistan’s pressing challenges are not related to the creation or division of provinces, but to ensuring continuity of the democratic and political process and achieving economic stability.
Speaking at a dialogue programme at the Turbat Press Club auditorium, Senator Buledi said the failure to uphold the Constitution and democratic principles was contributing to growing public unrest across the country.
He said the situation was deteriorating not only in Balochistan but also in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
While noting that Pakistan maintained strong relations with major international powers, Mr Buledi said internal issues, particularly those confronting Balochistan, could only be addressed by tackling their root causes and restoring public trust.
He said both the civil and military establishments needed to play a role in resolving these challenges through meaningful engagement with the public.
The senator said the creation of new provinces was not currently part of the agenda of any major mainstream political party, including the PML-N, PPP, PTI and JUI-F.
He observed that, apart from Balochistan, the country’s provincial boundaries largely followed administrative arrangements dating back to 1901, before Pakistan’s independence. He cautioned that creating additional administrative units could further aggravate existing political and social tensions.
Mr Buledi said the National Party’s primary objective was to communicate the grievances and concerns of the people of Balochistan to the federal government in Islamabad.
He stressed that the use of force could not resolve the province’s longstanding issues and said his party remained committed to seeking solutions through democratic institutions. However, he expressed concern over what he described as the prevailing institutional approach towards political and public issues.
The NP leader highlighted several challenges facing Balochistan, including shortcomings in education, unemployment, border trade, agriculture, groundwater depletion and public safety.
He also described enforced disappearances as one of the province’s most critical issues, calling the practice a violation of the Constitution.
