RAI YASIR FARHAD

CURRENT AFFAIRS

ETHNIC ISSUES AND NATIONAL INTEGRATION

1. INTRODUCTION:

 Integration literally means fitting together of parts to make one whole. Parts have to be
compatible.
 Elements: national unity, cohesion stability, prosperity, strength, feeling of being united.
 Pakistan facing numerous problems, to safeguard solidarity and security a well united
and integrated nation is a must.

2. MAJOR ETHNIC GROUPS:

 Punjabi 48.2%,
 Pakhtun 13%
 Sindhi 9.8%
 Balochi 2.4%
 Bengali 54%
 Mohajir 4.2% and Saraiki 7.6% emerged later.

3. FACTORS FOR DIVERGENCE:

a. POLITICAL FACTORS
 Early debacles, delay in constitution making.
 First constituent assembly dissolved in 1954.
 Lack of political autonomy.
 Separation of East Pakistan, language, culture, economy under representation.
b. ECONOMIC FACTORS
 Poor governance
 Mismanagement
 Political instability
 Weakened economic system
 Unfairness
 Corruption
 Nepotism
 Abject poverty
c. ETHNIC RELIGIOUS DIMENSIONS
 Ahmadi Issue.
 Zia period (too much religion could not integrate).
 Iran-Saudia factor.
 Emergence of fundamentalist political parties and their use by respective
governments.
  Extremist Parties created hell in land of pure.
d. TRANS- NATIONAL INTERFERENCE
 1980s huge influx of refugees reshaped composition of society.
 Al Qaeda and other non state actors.
 Foreign Intelligence Agencies.
e. EAST PAKISTAN DEBACLE
 Separation of East Pakistan, language, culture, economy under representation.
 Capital in West Pakistan.

4. FACTORS OF CONVERGENCE

a. Principle of Justice, Fair play complete impartiality.

b. All governments used India as threat and tried to unite nation on this point and Kashmir.
c. After 1971, all nation lies in same territory.
d. Despite diversity there is sense of common identity and unity.
e. Improving literacy rate will give awareness.
f. All stake holders pursuing agenda of reconciliation.

5. INSTITUTIONS ENSURING INTEGRATION:

a. Council of Common Interest (CCI) u/art 154 COP 1973: Prime Minister Chief Ministers
four federal ministries Oil, Gas, Water. Address provincial complaints.
b. National Economic Commission (NEC) u/art 156(I) COP1973: presidents to constitute
PM, CMs, one member from each province. Four members to be appointed by PM
c. National Finance Commission (NFC)
d. 18th Amendment

6. WAY FORWARD:

a. Democratic culture, no support for absolute government.

b. Continuity of political process ensuring pluralism.
c. Decentralization, provincial autonomy, reducing trust gap.
d. Political participation and encouraging National Politics parties not regional
e. Media
f. Good governance
g. Economic uplift of backward areas
h. FATA reforms
i. Ethnic factors be considered while making National Policies.
j. Protecting ethnic minorities
k. Regular Census.

CONCLUSION:

“To make this great State of Pakistan happy and prosperous, we should wholly and solely
concentrate on the well being of the people, and especially of the masses and the poor. If you will work
in cooperation in a spirit that we are all citizens and equal citizens of one state with equal rights,
privileges, and obligations, there will be no end to the progress you will make” (Quaid-e-Azam
Muhammad Ali Jinnah)