Whether or not the government succeeded in soothing the leaders of Balochistan by launching an appeasement package in the joint sitting of the Parliament on Tuesday, it has at least taken the first step towards redressing the Bloch grievances piled up during last six decades or so. Although certain Bloch Parliamentarians have rejected the package terming it as mere jugglery of words, saner elements within the leadership hailing from Balochistan have termed it something better than nothing. Opposition Leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan at the same time believed that 'no meaningful package was possible for appeasement of Balochistan unless the constitutional reforms. He termed this as a half-hearted effort on part of the government. He also shared with the journalists his uneasiness over the governments style of calling this joint sitting in haste. Although he kept his thorough views over the issue for his speech in the next joint sitting after the Eid, he required a proactive move on part of the government particularly regarding the missing persons and the appeasement of Bugtis and Marris of Balochistan. The oppositions criticism is understandable that the government might have been half-hearted in bringing about the Balochistan package, but one fails to understand the Opposition half-heartedly opposing it. Keeping in view precarious state of political unrest in Balochistan, it was however necessary that the government at the current juncture of time comes up with something revealing its ultimate intentions to redress the grievances of the Baloch. More importantly, the governments offer to take on board even the parties outside the Parliament was also encouraging. Notwithstanding unequivocal rejection of the package by Baloch members of the Parliament including Senator Dr Ismail Buledi and Senator Muhammad Malik, the governments argument of launching it as opening of dialogue with all takeholders holds solid grounds. Cynicism apart the Chinese saying that a thousand miles journey starts with a first step, the Blochistan package could be taken as the first step by all means, nevertheless, a long way that too on a bumpy road was to go to appease the Bloch. In that case Speaker National Assembly Dr Fahmida Mirza was right to say that the media should disseminate this message of good opening rather than confounding confusion. It is relevant to mention here that with the mushrooming of the electronic media in the country, the lobby activity in the Parliament has shifted from the cafeteria to the Gate No. 1 where the TV channels have installed their cameras. Members of the Parliament have abandoned the tradition of visiting the cafeteria that remained the centre for off the cuff interaction between the MPs and journalists that helps forms a genuine public opinion.