QUETTA, Oct 16: The opposition leader in the Balochistan Assembly, Kachkol Ali Baloch warned on Wednesday that the decision to establish 60 forts for the Frontier Corps and 35 police stations in the tribal area of the province would make the relations between the federation and Balochistan worse.

In a statement, he alleged that the government wanted to turn the whole of the province into a cantonment to exploit its resources, specially oil and gas, forcibly, ignoring the aspirations of the masses. He said the government should have reviewed its decision after the passage of a resolution by the Balochistan Assembly against the establishment of cantonments in Kohlu, Gwadar and Dera Bugti.

The government seemed to be least interested in the welfare of the people, he said.

He claimed that the government had approved the plan to establish 60 forts for the Frontier Corps and 35 police stations after abolishing the levies stations in the interior of the province, called the B area.

Mr Baloch alleged that the establishment of cantonments, forts and police stations was aimed at undermining the nationalist movement and pave the way for international financiers to explore the resources without the consent of the owners of the land.

The opposition leader, belonging to the National Party, said the organization would launch a movement to mobilize the masses against the decision.

He said he would raise voice in the assembly against the rulers’ undemocratic steps.

He said the federal government was reluctant to provide funds to the province that was facing financial constraints but it was planning to spend a huge amount for the construction of cantonments and forts.

He said the people of Balochistan would resist the federal government’s moves to forcibly explore the oil and gas resources in the province. He said the federal government’s confrontational attitude would harm the relations between the federation and the province.