19 May 2004	Wednesday	28 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

QUETTA, May 18: Permanent National Commission should be established for preservation of national heritage with comprehensive provisions for effective management and sustainable development at all levels.

This was the recommendation by the participants of a one-day seminar held here on Tuesday for framing a national policy for the promotion and preservation of culture.

The seminar was organized by the Federal Ministry of Culture in collaboration with Provincial Cultural Department and UNESCO. The Provincial Minister for Culture, Tourism and Archives, Sher Jan Baloch presided over the seminar which was attended by professors, archeologists, educationists and social leaders.

The participants also recommended that heritage, visual and the performing arts should be included in school curricula at all levels. The participants further said that a mechanism should be developed for countrywide surveying and recording of all tangible and intangible cultural resources, both past and present, including diverse languages, Muslim and non-Muslim sources of culture and archives and records.

Facilitate preparation of maps of cultural sites, historic walled cities and centres considered most valuable by communities. They also demanded a separate archive department in the Balochistan University and arrangements for the protection of Meher Garh at bank of river Bolan in Balochistan.

Earlier the Provincial Minister for Culture, Tourism and Archives said the present government is paying due attention to promotion and preservation of ancient cultures and civilizations found in the province and held out an assurance of cooperation for researchers and archeologists to explore these ancient sites.

Director UNESCO Islamabad, Ms Ingeborg Breines highlighted the efforts of her organization regarding promotion and preservation of cultural heritage in Pakistan.

National Project Coordinator Ms Yasmeen Lari gave a presentation on draft policy framework about promotion and preservation of culture which was discussed by the participants from every aspect. Provincial Secretary Culture and Archives Ayub Baloch also gave presentation on tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Balochistan.

NATIONAL PARTY: The National Party has demanded a new constitution on the basis of the Pakistan Resolution passed in 1940 at Lahore, for the satisfaction of all the four federating units.

The newly-elected party secretary-general, Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo, made this demand while speaking at a press conference here on Monday. "Existing system has failed to satisfy all the nationalities living in the country," he said.

The country, he said, was passing through its worst era due to negative and pro-imperialist polices of the military rulers. He also criticized politicians for corruption.

"The issues of Gwadar Port, Kalabagh Dam and Thal Canal and unequal distribution of resources are creating a gulf between Islamabad and the provinces," Mir Bizenjo said, adding that this situation was not in favour of the federation.

He urged military generals to pay attention to their professional duties and let politicians run affairs of the country. Mr Bizenjo alleged that Gen Musharraf was enjoying all powers after establishing the National Security Council, but the elected parliament, cabinet and government had no powers to express their views.

He said the National Party was struggling for making parliament an independent and powerful institution, and urged unification of all the nationalist and democratic forces for launching a joint struggle to bring the country out of what he termed an uncertain situation.

In reply to a question about a resistance movement in Balochistan, the party secretary-general said his party believed in democracy and power of the people. Without mobilizing the masses, he said, no movement could be succeeded.

"We are doing our job to get united all the nationalist forces on one platform," he said, adding that the NP central committee would take a clear decision on this issue in next two days.

Answering another question, he said the National Party was not against development plans and other mega projects. As for as Gwadar Port was concerned, he said, nationalists parties had expressed their reservations and presented a 32-point draft to the government for resolving this issue.

He said that with the construction of the port, a massive influx of the people into the province would take place, which would change the ratio of population. Thus locals would become minority, affecting the politics of Balochistan, he explained.