17 January 2005	Monday	06 Zilhaj 1425

KARACHI, Jan 16: Major political parties, including the coalition partner Muttahida Qaumi Movement, have expressed their reservations over the government's handling of the affairs vis-à-vis Balochistan and cautioned it that any military action to deal with the situation could lead to a deeper crisis and would have serious repercussions.

The Pakistan Peoples Party expressed its serious concern over the 'alarming' situation in Balochistan and advised Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to visit the province and initiate a dialogue with the nationalist forces there.

The party's Sindh chief Syed Qaim Ali Shah, speaking at a press conference at the People's Secretariat on Sunday after an emergent meeting of the PPP Sindh's executive committee, emphasized that a political solution to the problem was possible only through dialogue.

Mr Shah cautioned that any extreme step or a military solution would damage the very foundations of the country as had happened in 1971. He said the prime minister should visit the province and assure Baloch leaders that their due rights would be protected.

He told reporters that the executive committee and Sindh council of the party in their separate meetings on Friday and Sunday reviewed in detail the prevailing situation in Balochistan and noted with concern that any army operation would create more crises.

He said the PPP believed that without giving constitutional rights to Balochistan people, neither the problem could be resolved, nor could the confidence of the people be restored.

Mr Shah held the rulers, as well as their threatening attitude, responsible for this alarming situation, and accused them of being neither democratic nor sympathetic towards the people of the province. He also criticized the federal government for interfering in the affairs of provincial governments and breaching the provincial autonomy.

MQM: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief, Altaf Hussain, has told the government that strong resentment was prevailing among the people of Balochistan, and urged it not to resort to launching any military operation in that province.

He suggested holding of a roundtable conference of Baloch nationalist parties to defuse the explosive situation. In his interview with the Voice of America on Sunday, Mr Hussain pledged that his party would continue its efforts for a peaceful solution to the present problems in Balochistan.

He said that the MQM did not believe in a military action or any use of force for resolving political issues and would, therefore, use its influence to surmount the present difficulties.

He said that if the government opted for military operation, then the MQM coordination committee would take a decision and make it public accordingly. Mr Hussain had earlier hinted at the possibility of opting out of the coalition in such a situation.

In a separate interview with the KTN, Mr Hussain also expressed similar views over the intimidating language used by certain government functionaries against Balochistan people.

He said that such an attitude must be changed. He observed that people of Balochistan had some reservations on the government's policies and it was the responsibility of the federal government to look into their grievances and resolve all issues through peaceful means, and not through threats. Altaf Hussain told the KTN that if a military operation was launched in Balochistan, it would be difficult for the MQM to remain in the government.

JAMAAT-I-ISLAMI: The Jamaat-i-Islami, Sindh, has called for a democratic approach to resolve all political issues, and urged the government to adopt the path of negotiations and take measures towards provincial.

Addressing the Majlis-i-Shoora of the Sindh JI at Quba Auditorium on Sunday, the party's Karachi Amir Dr Mumtaz Ali Memon strongly opposed any military action in Balochistan and warned that any misadventure could lead to major damage to the country's solidarity.