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| 17 August 2004 | Tuesday | 30 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425 |
Call to stop operations in Balochistan, Wana
ISLAMABAD, Aug 16: Speakers at a seminar here on Monday called for restoration of true democracy in the country which could ensure constitutional rights to all federating units and stoppage of military operations in tribal areas as well as Balochistan.
The seminar was organized by the 28-party Pakistan Oppressed Nation's Movement (Ponam) on the constitutional, political, cultural and economic contravention of the rights of the Seraiki, Sindhi, Baloch and Pukhtoon nations.
In a unanimously adopted resolution, the speakers asked the government to put an end to the ongoing economic blockade of the tribal areas, which, according to them, was inflicting daily damage of millions of rupees on the residents, majority of whom were already living below poverty line.
They asked the government to announce compensation for the affected persons of the 'unjustified and inhuman' economic sanctions on the tribal people and immediately oust foreigners from the area.
The resolution also demanded an end to military operation in Balochistan and asked the government to immediately withdraw false cases against all nationalist leaders. Veteran nationalist leader and Ponam chief Attaullah Mengal said the military had not learnt any lesson from the 1971 tragedy and was repeating its old 'blunders'.
The government had pushed the oppressed nations to the wall and they had no other choice but to respond with all their force. The establishment wanted to turn the main four nations into a minority by establishing a 'unitary' form of government instead of the federal since independence.
"If the establishment wants true democracy and federal system in Pakistan as per the 1940 resolution, wherein all nations live with honour by totally controlling their resources, could make their own provincial laws that are not superseded by the federal laws, then we all are with Pakistan," he said.
He said the history of development activities in Balochistan revealed that the centre had not executed any development work for the benefits of the Baloch people so far, but for its own vested interests. That's why, he said, the military was establishing three cantonments in the area."
Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Ponam vice-president, said since August 14, 1947, the establishment had hijacked the freedom and democratic rights of the people by eliminating democracy and institutions, deforming the Constitution and oppressing all other nations except the Punjabis.
Others, who spoke on the occasion included PPP MNA Abdul Qayyum Khan Jatoi, President Seraiki National Party (SNP) Abdul Hameed Kanju, President Sindh Thinkers Forum Jalal Mehmood Shah, Senator Sanaullah Baloch, President Saraikistan Qaumi Movement Hameed Azhar Shaheen, Senator and Deputy Chairman Pukhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party Abdur Rahim Mandokhel, President Pukhtunkhwa Qaumi Party Afzal Khan Lala, Senator Akram Shah, Senator Raza Mohammad Raza, President Sindh National Party Amir Bakhsh Bhutto and MNA Abdul Rauf Mengal.
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