18 January 2005	Tuesday	07 Zilhaj 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 17: A special meeting of the federal cabinet held here on Monday decided to meet the federal government's constitutional obligations of protecting vital national installations , including the gas fields in Sui, Pirkoh and Loti, on the request of the Balochistan government.

The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. Sources said that an overwhelming majority of the federal ministers opposed launching a military action and there was a consensus for providing full protection to gas installations and, side by side, making efforts to find a political solution of the crisis."

President Gen Pervez Musharraf presided over another meeting attended by heads of coalition party and Prime Minister Aziz at the Prime Minister's House after the cabinet meeting to endorse the cabinet's decision on the Balochistan situation.

Ministers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement opposed a military operation and reiterated the stand taken by the party leader, Altaf Hussain, against any such move, the sources said.

The MQM chief, it may be mentioned, has announced that his party will quit the government if a military action was launched in Balochistan. The cabinet decided that the federal government would utilize all resources to protect vital installations in Balochistan, an official press release said.

During a press briefing, federal Minister for Information Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said that the second meeting presided over by Gen Musharraf, the heads of coalition parties held a 'fruitful' discussion on various options.

The government endorsed the efforts initiated by PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain for a political solution and decided to beef up the security in and around the gas fields by deploying both army and paramilitary personnel.

Replying to a question on a statement issued by Nawab Akbar Bugti, the minister angrily said: "I am not a tenant of any Sardar ... Neither I nor the interior minister had declared war ... It (the war) has been declared by elements who fired hundreds of rockets and ... damaged the national economy."

He also accused an unspecified 'enemy' who, he said, was trying to destroy the country's industry and harm its economy. When asked if the government action to protect the installations 'at all costs' implied a military action, the minister said: "We will ensure writ of law at all costs."

The cabinet meeting was given a detailed briefing by heads of intelligence agencies, including the director-general of the Intelligence Bureau and the director-general of the Military Intelligence.

Balochistan Governor Owais Ghani and Chief Minister Jam Yusuf updated the cabinet members on the situation. The cabinet was also briefed by Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao about the security situation.

The cabinet was informed that the lady doctor's alleged rape case had been blown up 'out of proportion' and that the issue needed to be resolved by using 'all means'. The meeting agreed to set up committees at the levels of the provincial and federal government.

The sources said that the cabinet had endorsed the policy of setting up cantonments in troubled areas of Balochistan. The information minister said that the government was aware of all aspects, including the possible involvement of Al Qaeda network in the recent incidents in Gilgit and Skardu and the situation in Balochistan.

He acknowledged that the meeting also discussed a long-term strategy and said that the federal government was already spending Rs130 billion on development projects in Balochistan and said that people who were creating a law and order situation were against development.

The cabinet, he said, expressed reservations on the latest statement of Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh about what he (Mr Natwar) termed Pakistan's failure to protect its gas pipeline.

It was decided to resolve the lady doctor's case to the satisfaction of people. The cabinet was informed about the progress achieved by the parliamentary committee on Balochistan, headed by Chaudhry Shujaat, and expressed the hope that its deliberations would go a long way to redressing the grievances of the people of Balochistan through peaceful means.