January 9, 2002	Wednesday	Shawwal 24, 1422

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QUETTA, Jan 8: The chief of Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP), Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, has denied signing of any agreement with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources for exploration of oil and gas in the province.

However, he said that a memorandum had been signed and sent by the said ministry stating that all agreements of the past, which had not been honoured ald had been by-passed by the PPL, Sui Gas and OGDC, would now be strictly implemented.

Talking to Dawn from Dera Bugti on Tuesday, he said every gas well must have three watchmen for 24 hours duty daily, whereas only one watchman had been protecting a gas well against ILO regulations.

He said that according to PPL’s labour laws if a person worked continuously for 90 days, his job would be made permanent, whereas in the Bugti area, people had been working for years as casual labourers.

He said that under an agreement, all unskilled labour should had been employed from the Bugti tribes and if Bugti workers were not available, Balochs would be preferred for employment.