QUETTA, April 14: The Balochistan government has formed a four-member committee to help resolve a dispute between two tribes over coalmines in Chamalang area.

The dispute has claimed lives of several coalmine workers.

Sardar Masood Luni, Minister for Mineral Development, while talking to a group of newsmen here on Monday, stated that the committee members were: Sardar Sanaullah Khan Zehri, Minister for Home; Mir Asim Kurd, Minister for Revenue; Maulvi Faizullah, Minister for Agriculture; and Jaffar Khan Mandokhel.

They have been assigned the task to visit the area and consult elders of both the tribes.

He said that the government was interested to settle the dispute between the warring parties through dialogue as the issue could not be resolved through violence or coercion of by killing the innocent people who came here to work to earn their livelihood.

The minister said that the government had decided to deploy forces in the Chamalang area to protect lives of innocent coalmine workers and other people and maintained that the government would not hesitate in conducting operation in the disturb area if tribal elders of both the factions failed to cooperate to resolve the matter peacefully.

At least 15 coalmine workers were killed in the landmine explosion and ambush in Chamalang area last week.

Labour organisation representatives have demanded of the government to provide protection to coalminers.

WARRANTS: Shaukat Rakshani, a judge for Special Court for Suppression of Terrorism, Quetta, on Monday issued arrest warrants for a former minister, Mir Mohbat Khan, and five others in a landmine explosion case.