Move federal capital to Balochistan to leverage its potential

Since Pakistan needs administrative reforms to restructure political power, is it not time to shift the federal capital from Islamabad to Balochistan? The federal capital is very important for the people to highlight their issues. The power seat amplifies concerns of citizens and lobbying becomes prominent for their resolutions.

The disadvantage of Karachi not being the capital and moving to the present place i.e. Islamabad made the feudal lobby became well-entrenched in the decision-making. Since it is easy to besiege Islamabad by sit-ins and demonstrations, the pressure groups, mainly religious and feudal, dominate the political agenda in the power corridors and sway policy-making in favour of vested interests.

Countries have moved their capitals for economic, environmental, military and political reasons throughout history. Recent examples include Myanmar, (Yangon to Naypyidaw), Kazakhstan (Almaty to Astana) and now Indonesia (Jakarta to Kalimantan).

Karachi, after the Capital moved to Islamabad, remained an economic and financial hub but lost political power. Islamabad Capital led to the domination of political economy, politics and governmental powers by the feudal elite. This control became the main hurdle in the administrative, political and economic reforms till date.

Lahore has in large degree affected Islamabad's decision-making. Feudal MPAs send men to sit-ins and the whole media discusses it, what we call GT Road politics. If you win Karachi and Lahore you can form a government easily.

But in fact, industry and financial hubs have to control the politics, not the big zamindars. New York City is a living example which consolidates politics not the dull Washington DC. And London being a financial centre controls the politics of Westminster.

Even the green revolution of Ayub Khan in Pakistan was before Islamabad became Capital; Gen Pervaiz Musharraf's upbringing in urbanised Karachi in large part shaped his economic vision reflected in an unprecedented economic boom. Today Karachi's grievances make no sense in the power corridors of Islamabad where few feudal families capture the whole seats. The industrialised lobby and financial sector is marginalised and thus their voices could not be heard. This injustice, for instance, resulted in 15pc of Karachi's receipts in national wealth against its 65pc contribution to national resources.

Similarly, 18 MNAs from Balochistan have no voice in the parliament hence no impact on the policy-making in Islamabad. The decades of underdevelopment in the arid belt of Balochistan can only be addressed if Capital is moved. Ironically, the feudal classes and dysfunctional parliament in Islamabad approved IMF conditionalities without even questioning them. They have no strategy to get the country out of the debt trap.

Unfortunately, Balochistan as a rich gateway to Pakistan's economic salvation, has no traction in the mindset of the feudal elite dominating Islamabad's decision-making levers.

For example, Balochistan's southern edges can accommodate at least 10 Karachi's in the next 20 years. Sadly, Pakistan is begging for one billion dollars from the IMF while Balochistan's oil and gas resources are equivalent to UAE, KSA and the US Shell combined, according to experts.

The mining has huge potential, particularly in the Chaghi belt, and has huge resources like rare minerals. We have no clue how the system works as the local strongmen control regions.

It is being milked by feudal elites from Hernai to Lasbela. The government mining department only gives oxygen to investors.

But Reko Diq will take five years to come to fruition and CPEC's second stage is still in fancy. However, the desired focus, resources and development will only come to Balochistan when the Capital is moved to Gwadar District – precisely Pasni, a sub-tehsil of district Gwadar which is 150km away from Gwadar Port. Why Pasni?

Pasni is in close proximity to Muscat, Dubai, Saudi Arabia's futuristic Neom City and other GCC countries making Pakistan a neighbour of next European enterprise. Then Pasni is close to urban centres like Karachi and Hyderabad and also next to financial and commercial centres of Karachi, providing labour, know-how and investment.

The next question is where the money will come from? Very easy, as there is a will there's a way, the proverb goes: Get every department to construct its building. Most buildings in Islamabad are paying rents. This way they will get rid of the rented accommodation. This move can be staggered in stages over a span of twenty years.

Capital in Pasni will force the elite to focus on governance, law and order and social injustice from Karachi to Gwadar and the coastal belt, besides the large swath of Balochistan.

The current administrative character of Islamabad is elitist and does not represent the diverse population of the country. The decision to move the Capital from Karachi to Islamabad had huge political backlash in Karachi and the then East Pakistan. Now, a move to Balochistan's Pasni will not invoke such feelings.

Instead, through moving the Capital to Balochistan, the elite will treat the province as a priority and find ways to leverage its vast potential. The media and national discourse will follow, away from their obsession of feudal GT Road political drama.

Whereas, Islamabad will continue to be a commercial and elitist hub joining the twin city Rawalpindi, and millions of residents will continue to stay.

This radical proposition is worth considering because the country's future is at stake, which can only be salvaged by Balochistan's vast potential and its resources. And this insurance policy of our coming generations can only kick in if the nation pays its premium i.e. moving the Capital to Pasni, thereby shifting political power, giving voice to Balochistan and ownership to its marginalised population in addition to recalibrating the current structure dominated by feudal power.

Jan Achakzai is a geopolitical analyst, a politician from Balochistan and an ex-adviser to the Balochistan government on media and strategic communication. He tweets @Jan_Achakzai