The Baloch conundrum

Trafficking of drugs, humans, and vehicles and smuggling of essential commodities from cooking oil to soap dominate the economy of Balochistan. A United Nations report states that although the province has a low population, 70 per cent of use of methamphetamines of Pakistan takes place in. Opiate users comprise 1.6 per cent of the population of the province. The parallel economy is feared to catch up with the formal economy in the not-too-distant future.

The UN report reveals that Gwadar, where a port was built on the Arabian Sea with the technological and financial help from China, is convenient for 'illegal immigration', is a major transit point for drugs. The rapid rise in trade volume might overwhelm customs and law enforcement agencies. There is a transitional trade route through the province that shares long borders with Iran and Afghanistan plus a vast coastline, exposed to international traffickers. It is a boon for peddlers to access international markets.

There are some nine routes, used for fuel smuggling including Qamar-Din-Karez, Badini, Afghanistan-Toba Achakzai, and Barabcha (Dalbandin) and from Iran are routes for smuggling through Taftan, Mashkhai, Panjgur, Noshki, Mastung, Quetta, Surab, Khuzdar, Karkh and Shahdad Kot.

Corruption and bribery thrive on unchecked 'development of underdeveloped'. The tragedy for the Baloch and Pashtun people accounting for about 90 per cent of provincial population is replete with minerals, and with immense trading potential. The nature of unchecked corruption has pathetic features. Nearly six years ago, the federal government legalised smuggled vehicles. Little effort is made even to keep vigil on smuggling of cattle and other animals to Afghanistan and Iran.

Almost unabated illegal dealings create serious social problems for dwellers in Balochistan. "The shopkeepers do not have to pay taxes since the traders bribe security officials to transport goods from across the border. The situation is such that it is difficult to spot a duty paid vehicle on the roads of Quetta. Balochistan now has the title of having the largest markets for unpaid duty vehicles", wrote well-known Baloch columnist Shezad Baloch several years ago.

Balochistan has over 1,600 kilometers of a border with Iran and Afghanistan. On this extensive terrain, it is not easy to check smuggling efficiently. There is no denying that for tax authorities, it is a serious challenge to combat smugglers, especially when security situation turns unprecedentedly erratic more so in the absence of human resources and materials. The presence of customs is mostly on the two border crossing points of Taftan and Chaman and very inadequate along other borders. Thus, its advantage—to smugglers. Smuggling of petroleum products alone causes an estimated loss of more than Rs. 30 billion every year. Smuggling of vehicles makes Balochistan incur further losses. But neither the federal government nor its provincial counterpart seem worried about the unholy correlation between trafficking and smuggling. The Pakistan Rs 419.92 billion budget, placed by the Balochistan government for the next fiscal, apportions Pak Rs108 billion towards developmental heads, in contrast, to would be Pak Rs 257 billion on non-developmental expenditures.

Even Prime Minister Imran Khan doesn't seem properly worried about the Baloch conundrum, which is why he is vociferous against the 18th Constitutional Amendment for renaming North-West Frontier Province to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and preventing the federal authorities from collecting taxes and duties, but is silent about the plight of people of Balochistan. The rise of informal economy threatens other provinces too. Khan takes kindly to this socio-financial menace that has been

escalating for over three decades. According to a recent research, nearly 71 per cent of informality engulfs Pakistan. Needless to stress, high informality means greater tax evasion and more fiscal loss for the government.

The impact of drug use on public life is deepening with increasing family and marital disputes, high rates of unemployment, elevated risks of transmitting HIV and other communicable diseases, let alone harassment by police who demand bribes from drug users that submit to blackmailing to avoid arrest and prolonged police custody.

Little wonder, youth in Balochistan prefer to smuggle than being unemployed. The prospect of education is bleak in the region. Dropout rates at high schools are on the rise. Students are prone to short-term option to pursue a career in smuggling of fuel or vehicles. Districts of Panjgur and Noshki are two worst hit ones as smuggling is means of livelihood. Pitiably enough, time was when these two districts were among the top producers of doctors, engineers, and civil servants.

(The views expressed are strictly personal)