KARACHI, Sept 21: The Senate committee on Balochistan has made no progress so far as the new government has not contacted any political leader after the recent change of guards in Islamabad.

This was stated by Sardar Akhtar Khan Mengal, leader of Balochistan National Party (BNP), on Tuesday while talking to a group of journalists who called on him to discuss the current political situation of the province.

Maintaining that the situation remained unchanged, Sardar Akhtar said after the departure of Chaudhry Shujaat from the prime minister's office, the new government is yet to take an initiative on the Balochistan issue.

Giving his analytical views on the fast changing situation of the province, the BNP leader said Balochistan had never been treated fairly by any federal government and for years the province had remained a backward province despite its rich resources, he added.

He said the people of the province had always raised their voice against injustices meted out to them by the successive federal governments, but their grievances had never been taken seriously.

It was for this reason, Sardar Mengal said a sense of deprivation prevails in the province and the people were critical of the federal authorities: army and civilian. He dispelled the impression that the nationalists wanted to create obstacles in the way of development projects, such as the Gwadar deep-sea project, Makran Coastal Highway and Mirani dam projects.

Elaborating his point of view on these mega projects, the BNP leader stated that "we are ready for holding talks on these projects provided the government convinces us that the projects were meant for collective welfare of Baloch people."

However, he said, "we have apprehensions that these projects will result in the massive dislocation of the existing population in Gwadar city and settlement of non-population."

The BNP leader said if the government really wanted to develop the Gwadar in the interest of Baloch people as whole, it must take confidence-building measures and make assurances that the rights of local people would be fully safeguarded.

In this regard, Sardar Mengal suggested that the government must give legislative powers to the provincial government for making necessary laws to protect the rights of local people.

More importantly, he said the provincial government should be empowered to decide the people's right of vote in the new Gwadar city. The BNP leader made it clear that we would not allow to repeat of history of Karachi port city in Gwadar city as we will not accept our minority status in the province.

He also said the people of Balochistan had joined Pakistan on the assurance that its national identity, culture and geographical limits would be fully protected. In reply to a question, Sardar Mengal said the present situation was developed due to the ill-advised policies of the present government.

He questioned why the government was bent upon constructing cantonments in a province where people lived in poverty and needed roads, drinking water, health and other facilities.

The BNP leader said billions of rupees were being spent on mega projects while the government was ignoring the minimum basic needs of the people. Had the government been sincere in the development of the province and welfare of the projects, it should not hesitate in holding talks with the representatives of the people on these issues.

Replying to his party's agenda for holding talks with the government on the long and short term issues, Sardar Mengal said the Gwadar issue would be on top of the agenda, besides raising the question of provincial autonomy.

To a question, he confirmed that the government had stopped construction of cantonments in Mari and Bugti areas for the time being. He denied any foreign hand in the present upsurge of the province.

He said his party had launched a public mobilization programme and in Karachi city the first meeting would be held on Sept 26 in Mohammad Johar Park (Kakri Ground) in Lyari Town.

LYARI: Sardar Mengal expressed concern over the ongoing gang war in Lyari, which had claimed lives of many innocent people. He said all the saner elements should come out to save the innocent people who have been made hostage by criminals.