QUETTA, July 14: Nationalist and democratic political parties have announced to organize a peaceful demonstration on July 19 against religious extremism in the province.

Addressing a joint press conference here on Monday leaders of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PMAP), Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP), Balochistan National Movement (BNM) and Hazara Democratic Party (HDP) alleged that the government and intelligence agencies were responsible for the recent bloodshed in the province.

Akram Shah (PMAP), Habib Jalib Baloch (BNP-M), Syed Saleh Agha (JWP), Dr Abdul Malik Baloch (BNM) and Muhammad Jawaid Ishaque (HDP) stated that the government totally failed to control the killings in Balochistan.

They alleged that the government had adopted double standards against religious extremism as on the one hand terrorists wanted by the US and the FBI were nabbed and handed over to Washington but on the other hand terrorists supported by the agencies were given a free hand.

They claimed that if the government had taken appropriate steps, terrorist acts on June 8 and July 4 would not have taken place.

They asserted that the Quetta incident was aimed at reactivating the agencies’ role to destabilize Afghanistan apart from encouraging sectarian strife, which would ensure a prolonged military rule under the LFO.

They further said that an undemocratic ruler in order to suppress a democratic movement was indulged in activities that would weaken the political and democratic institutions of the country.

The representatives of political parties said that military dictators in the past had also attempted to sabotage the democratic rule, but efforts by political parties and their leaders were able to restore the constitutional rule.

They added that President Musharraf was making the same mistake to sideline the democratic leadership to remain in power, but his intentions would only create anarchy in the country.

They announced that political groups had joined hands to protect the rights of Balochs, Pakhtuns, Hazaras and other communities and added that unity among the nationalist groups would safeguard the interests of the people of Balochistan.

They said that the federal government had always denied Balochistan’s rights.

In this regard they referred to the unjust national finance commission, discrimination over the share of gas development surcharge and overlooking the 5.3 quota of Balochistan in federal services.

They blamed the federal government for constructing the Gwadar deep seaport that would turn the Baloch majority into a minority.