07 January 2005	Friday	25 Ziqa'ad 1425

QUETTA, Jan 6: The issue of Balochistan's national rights can be resolved to some extent if the 1973 Constitution is restored and implemented, says the provincial president of the Pakistan Peoples Party, Haji Lashkari Khan Raisani.

He was speaking at a press conference here on Thursday. The PPP leader was accompanied by Mir Khadim Hussain Dharpali, secretary-general of the Jamoot Qaumi Movement, who joined the PPP along with his party workers.

Mr Raisani said that after the passage of '73 Constitution, it had been decided that the concurrent list would be handed over to provinces within 10 years but General Ziaul Haq ousted an elected government and ruled the country for 11 years.

He blamed military governments for blocking constitutional issues between Islamabad and provinces. He criticized what he termed 'invisible forces' for the ouster of an elected government in Balochistan in 1973 as they had previously done in 1958 and in the late 60s, and said that these forces were doing the same in Wana and other areas in South Waziristan.

He said that only a truly elected government could resolve political, financial and economic crises being faced by the country. He rejected the impression of a deal between the government and the PPP on the release of PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari, he said that Mr Zardari had been released by a court order. He said that PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto supported the MMA's movement against the president's uniform.