20 November 2004	Saturday	07 Shawwal 1425

QUETTA, Nov 19: The Balochistan National Party (Mengal) and Baloch Student Organization (United) have cautioned the government that "illegal arrests" of political activists by agencies would sabotage the negotiation process between the government and the Baloch leadership.

In separate statements, Habib Jalib Baloch, Secretary General of the BNP-M and BSO-United on Friday declared that the Baloch people would not abandon the struggle for national rights and for ridding the people of "oppressors."

Mr Jalib said that four Baloch parties' alliance had responded positively to the offer of the federal government for talks to settle political issues relating to Balochistan and in this regard the nationalist alliance had also communicated its point of view to the parliamentary sub-committee.

He warned that the statement issued by the chairman of the Gwadar Development Authority to accelerate the work at the seaport and detention of political activists by intelligence agencies would sabotage the talks between the Baloch leadership and the federal government.

The BNP leader asserted that if the government was serious in resolving the issues through dialogue it must take some steps, including suspension of the second phase of the work at the Gwadar port.

He said his party's central executive committee would meet on Nov 29 in Turbat to discuss different issues and to determine a future course of action. The BSO statement accused secret agencies of detaining members Imran Baloch and Maqsood Baloch from Khuzdar "without any reason".

The student union warned that such "unlawful acts" could not force the BSO to surrender before the "usurpers who are looting resources of Balochistan." The statement demanded release of the arrested BSO members and warned of serious consequences if agencies did not stop "oppression against innocent members of the organization."