Balochistan polls: divisions of different kind

QUETTA: Merger of political groups and divisions among them is not a new phenomenon on the eve of general elections in Balochistan. In the past, the division in the ranks of politico-nationalist groups benefited the religious groups, particularly the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F). But this time round, the division in the religious groups, particularly in the JUI-F Balochistan, may benefit political groups.

When political parties were finalising their strategies for the election 2008 in Balochistan, differences surfaced in the provincial leadership of the JUI-F over the allotment of election tickets, which the provincial leadership of the JUI-F had endorsed. But a large number of dissidents of the JUI-F dispelled the impression, saying that the differences within the JUI-F had existed for about 10 years, but on January 16, 2008, Maulvi Asmatullah’s followers decided to come out publicly. “This was done as corruption by the party’s ministers in the previous PML-Q-led coalition government in Balochistan had tarnished the party’s image,” said Hafiz Fazal Muhammad Baraich, the district Quetta Amir of the dissident group, while talking to The News.

The dissidents expressed their lack of trust in the leadership of provincial Amir Maulana Muhammad Khan Sherani, holding him responsible for tarnishing the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam’s image in the province. Realising the gravity of situation, Maulana Fazlur Rehman constituted a four-member committee to remove the differences among the groups. But the efforts proved futile as the dissidents refused to surrender after the central committee asked them to accept the decision of the provincial leadership of the JUI-F and withdraw its candidates from the elections.

After the failure of the committee, which met with the dissident group in Zhob district, the hometown of the provincial chief of JUI-F Maulana Muhammad Khan Sherani, on January 15 and 16 and held marathon talks with them, the party chief

expelled over four dozen dissidents, including many district presidents of the JUI-F from the Jamiat, asking them not to use the party flag and symbol i.e. “Book” in the elections.

The ideological group in the JUI claims that they will ‘reform’ the party in the province, rejecting armed struggle against the state and declaring that a change in the society is possible through parliament. The faction’s provincial convener Maulana Asmatullah has announced that the group would contest the election against JUI candidates led by Maulana Sherani, the JUI provincial chief. Now the situation is that the JUI-F candidates are contesting elections with the symbol of “Book” while the ideological group is using the symbol of Takhti. A tough contest is expected in NA-264 (Zhob-cum-Sherani-cum-Killa Saifullah) where the JUI ideological group’s Maulvi Asmatullah is flexing muscles against the provincial chief of JUI-F Maulana Muhammad Khan Sherani.

Hafiz Fazal Muhammad Baraich, who is contesting the elections from NA-259 Quetta, with election symbol of “Takhti” is facing JUI-F’s Maulana Abdul Aziz.

Indeed, the vote bank of JUI-F has increased in Balochistan since the 70s. The Jamiat had secured only two seats in the 1970 elections but with the passage of time and on issues like the US attack on Afghanistan after the 9/11, increased the vote bank of the JUI-F and as a result, the religious group bagged 18 seats in the house of 65 in the 2002 elections.

Political observers say that the division in the JUI-F and the anti-poll stance would definitely help support their respective rivals on the polling day, and the major beneficiary would be the PML-Q and other political parties this time. The MMA's victory, however, has been generally confined to areas bordering Afghanistan and the religious belt, for the first time made inroads in the Kharan-Panjgur districts where a Jamiat stalwart, Maulvi Rahmatullah, was elected to the National Assembly.

“We don’t believe or hope that the dissidents of the JUI would harm its vote bank” says Hafiz Hamdullah, the new Amir of JUI-F Quetta. “The JUI-F would emerge as the single-largest party in Balochistan if the polls were held fair and free.”

A new faction has already emerged in the National Party when one of its central office-bearers, the chief of Jhalawan, Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, announced to participate in the elections from the platform of the NP Parliamentarians, differing with the party president Dr Abdul Hayee Baloch’s decision of election boycott in line with the decision of the APDM. Zehri, who heads the NP Parliamentarians, told The News: “I preferred to continue my struggle for securing the rights of Balochistan from parliament instead of boycotting the polls.”

In this political scenario, the people are uncertain whether to use their right of franchise in favour of any candidate even though they are still uncertain about the elections.

But political observers say that the situation of division in the JUI-F and the boycott of the polls by the Pashtoons and Baloch nationalists would definitely help support their respective rivals on the election day, and the major beneficiary would be the PML-Q, the PPP, and the BNP-Awami.