November 8, 2002	Friday	Ramazan 2,1423

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QUETTA, Nov 7: A Baloch nationalist leader, Nawab Khair Bukhsh Marri, has termed the development activities in Balochistan exploitation of the locals, and said the government and its ministers were making false claims in this regard.

The veteran leader said: “It is a biggest lie that the development is being made for the welfare of the local people and Balochistan.”

He was talking to newsmen at his residence on Wednesday.

Mr Marri also said it was strange that all powers were lied with Islamabad while the development activities were being carried out in Balochistan for its people. He regretted that the people of Balochistan were so ‘simple’ that they could not differentiate between the development and exploitation.

He said the people of the province had no say in the projects like Gwader deep sea port, coastal highways, dams construction etc.

In reply to a question about the allegations against him for being anti-development, the nationalist leader said the steps taken by rulers for their own sake could not be described as progress or development as historians never termed these measures a prosperity of the oppressed nations.

Mr Marri, answering another question about the recent polls, said it would not bring any change for the oppressed nations.