Deprivation fuelled dissent in Balochistan: President
Bureau Report

QUETTA–President General Pervez Musharraf Friday urged the women to reject extremist and obscurantist elements in the 2007 general election and vote for the moderate forces to ensure the continuity of the policies of development and progress across the country including Balochistan.
“To ensure the continuity of policies, vote for the people in next election, who support me. Mobilize other women and ask them to vote for the moderate people and those who support the policies of present government,” the President said while addressing a big women convention held here to celebrate the Women Protection Act at a local hotel. The President announced Rs.100 million welfare package for the women of Balochistan amidst thunderous applause by the women from various walks of life who had come from across the province to attend the convention.
President Musharraf, terming the Women Protection Act as an achievement as well as a starting point towards women emancipation and empowerment, vowed to take more steps in this direction and eliminate injustices against women. He hailed those in government as well as in the opposition for supporting the Women Protection Bill and called upon the political forces particularly the women parliamentarians to continue the momentum generated by this legislation for getting due rights of the women.
The President said the WPA was in accordance with the injunctions of Quran and Sunnah and criticized those who want to use Islam for their political gains. “This is hypocrisy and they are playing a political game.” He said justice and compassion are basic ingredients and pillars of Islam, which provides equal rights to men and women. The President said founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam had clearly stated that men, women and the minorities will get equal rights in Pakistan, which is an Islamic Republic.
“We will take Pakistan towards the true ideals of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal,” he said and added those opposing the Women Protection Act are the elements who also opposed printing of Holy Quran three centuries back and were critical of the moderate and progressive thinking of Quaid-e-Azam and Sir Syed Ahmad Khan. President Musharraf, describing the Women Protection Act as an achievement, said he wanted to do more for women emancipation and getting their due status in the society as they make over half of country’s population. The President said the government was following a five-point strategy for women empowerment in all spheres of life — political empowerment; economic empowerment; elimination of social injustices; mainstreaming of women; and curbing violence against women.
Elaborating, he said under the strategy of political empowerment the women have been given 33% representation in local government along with significant seats in the National Assembly, Senate and the provincial assemblies so that they take their destiny in their own hands. “It should be up to 50%, but let us go step by step and leap by leap,” he remarked. The President said the second area of focus was the economic empowerment of women so that the women become self-dependent and relieved from dependence on men.
He said the elimination of social injustices like marriage with Quarn; inheritance issues, Wani, Vatta-Satta and others through legislation was also part of the strategy for women emancipation. The government will introduce a bill in the Parliament to do necessary legislation on these issues, he added.
The President said the government was also focusing on the mainstreaming of women  with equal job opportunities through capacity building. He stressed that elimination of violence against women as another area of government’s focus.
President Musharraf said though the women are working in every field of life yet the capacity building of women, particularly in the rural and backward areas was vital to ensure their due share and right in socio-economic development. “Our women are as good as men. They are serving in Pakistan Army, Air Force, Health and Education fields,” he remarked.
The President said girls are outshining boys in education and winning prizes, medals and awards. “The emphasis should be on girls education at primary, secondary and college levels,” he added. He also called upon the youth of Balochistan to play their role in the development, progress and prosperity of the country as well as the province, adding, the women can play an important role by giving them the lesson of national character and patriotism.
“Unfortunately, some youth in Balochistan have deviated, that is also because of the sense of deprivation and alienation. But it was due to mistakes of leaderships in the past, who did not give them (the people of Balochistan) their due rights,” the President added. He, however, maintained that the present government was making every effort to bring Balochistan at par with other provinces through a well-conceived strategy and the youth of Balochistan should support these initiatives as it was being done for the development and prosperity of this province.
The President referred to the mega and micro development projects, scholarships for Balochistan youth, job opportunities as well as the development of road networks to link the province with other parts of country, Afghanistan, Central Asian States and China.
“Pakistan and Balochistan are one. If Pakistan gets respect, it means the respect of Balochistan. When you go abroad you are considered as Pakistani, because you have Pakistan stamp and the passport,” the President remarked and urged the women to make their children fully acknowledged and realized of these hard facts.
Elaborating, he said under the strategy of political empowerment the women have been given 33% representation in local government along with significant seats in the National Assembly, Senate and the provincial assemblies so that they take their destiny in their own hands. “It should be up to 50%, but let us go step by step and leap by leap,” he remarked. The President said the second area of focus was the economic empowerment of women so that the women become self-dependent and relieved from dependence on men.