Sanaullah Baloch

Senator Sanaullah Baloch (Urdu: ثناء اللہ بلوچ‎), born in 1971, is former Member of Parliament of Pakistan, served as the Member Senate of Pakistan (2003–2008) and as a Member of the National Assembly (1997–1999). Currently he is heading UNDP's Constitutional programme as Chief Technical Advisor in Sierra Leone.

Baloch also worked in UNDP Somalia as a Senior Transition and Constitutional Advisor and Head of Public Consultation and Analysis Unit. He designed and implemented a successful and inclusive model of public consultation. Provided technical and process expertise, interacted with Somali political representatives, civil society activists, and marginalized groups (refugees and women) including high-level government officials and diplomatic community. During the process organized specific trainings and seminars for partner organizations. Categorized and analyzed data, public and expert opinions collated during public consultation process and produced seven thematic and technical reports both in English and Somali.

Baloch also served as a Parliamentary Secretary to the Interior and Narcotics Control Division in 1998. In addition, he served as a member of Senate Function Committee on Government Assurances, Local Government and Problems of Less Developed areas.

In 2005, he was a participant at Stanford University's Draper Hills Summer Fellows on Democracy and Development at Stanford's CDDRL.^[1]

Baloch's research and professional expertise are in the field of Democracy, Federalism, Parliamentary Affairs, Constitutionalism, Conflict Resolution, Human Rights and the issue of Ethnic Minorities in Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan.

He contributed number of articles on ethnic politics, democracy, and nationalism. He mostly writes and speaks at national and international forums on the issue of ethnic politics in Pakistan.

His first book was published in 2001. He has written, mainly about the politics and society of Balochistan, Pakistan in several leading South Asian English language newspapers and magazines, including Dawn, the News, and the Nation.

As member of Senate of Pakistan and representative of Balochistan province, he articulated on the issues of regions political and economic rights and fair distribution of resources. He introduced a constitutional amendment bill to abolish the concurrent legislative list to grant more autonomy to the provinces.

Sanaullah Baloch was also appointed as a Member of Parliament special committee on Balochistan formed in September 2004, where he was the major architect of drafting and placing Balochistan's major political and economic issues before the committee. The committee's failure to deliver as specified in the terms of reference led Baloch to resign from the committee in December 2004.

He speaks, read and writes in English, Balochi, Persian/Dari, Pushto, Urdu and in Brahvi languages. Baloch has visited number of countries; His research and professional expertise are in the field of Democracy, Constitutionlism, Federalism, human rights and Ethnic Minorities in Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. He speaks, read and write English, Balochi, Persian, Pushto, Urdu, Brahvi languages.

References

• International Institute for Strategic Studies accessed 17 November 2006