14 January 2005	Friday	03 Zilhaj 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 13: The opposition has demanded a joint session of parliament to discuss the situation in Balochistan and help resolve the problem politically.

Speaking at a press conference in his chamber at the Parliament House here on Thursday, Leader of Opposition in the Senate Mian Raza Rabbani asked the government to find a solution to the problem through a political dialogue instead of using military force.

Awami National Party (ANP) Senator Asfandyar Wali, Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) Senator Dr Azizullah Satakzai, PPP senators Farhatullah Khan Babar and Rukhsana Zuberi, PPP MNA Qamaruz Zaman Kaira and ARD parliamentary secretary Izhar Amrohvi were present on the occasion.

Mr Rabbani said if the government could not convene a joint session, it should summon separate sessions of the two houses. He said opposition parties were also considering an option to requisition the Senate session if the government continued to show its reluctance.

The opposition leader said he was unable to understand why the government was feeling shy in holding political dialogue to resolve the Balochistan issue. "History shows that military has never succeeded in resolving political disputes," he said.

The parliamentary committee on Balochistan, he said, had become ineffective after the withdrawal of the Balochistan National Party (Mengal group) from it. Mr Rabbani blasted the government for its failure to maintain law and order in the country.

"There was a total collapse of the law and order," he said, adding that the government should have the courage to quit after its failure to establish its writ. The opposition leader said the federation of Pakistan was facing a serious crisis.

He regretted that the government had so far failed to recover the judges kidnapped about one month ago in Sindh. Moreover, he said, it had been reported that 11 employees of Wapda had also been kidnapped in Punjab. "A government which cannot protect judges and its employees has no right to rule the country," he added.

He said the people of Sindh and the NWFP also felt deprivation as they had not been given their political and economical rights and had no say in the country's affairs.

Mr Rabbani advised the rulers not to 'impose solutions' to the problems by force as it could lead to a dangerous situation. The opposition leader said he had also talked to Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) chief Mian Nawaz Sharif on telephone on Wednesday evening and thanked him for his party's support in the Senate. But no political matter had been discussed with Mr Sharif, he said.